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Beech Fork Lake

NR
Not yet rated
Eutrophic · 720 acres
Limited DataEutrophic

Beech Fork Lake in Wayne County, West Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.1 µg/L. Surface area: 720 acres.

Area
720 acres
Public access
Yes

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Why Beech Fork Lake has no grade

We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Beech Fork Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not water clarity.

Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.

Sampling is run by your state environmental agency and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.

Beech Fork Lake is a 720-acre lake in Wayne County, West Virginia. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2021-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

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Water quality measurements for Beech Fork Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 16.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 57.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)No recent samples
Phosphorus35 µg/LNot graded
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)16.1 µg/LNot graded
Trophic State Index (TSI)57Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Beech Fork Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Beech Fork Lake in Wayne County, West Virginia — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.

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Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area720 acres
Public AccessYes

No bathymetric survey has been published for Beech Fork Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Recreation & Access

2
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Beech Fork LakePublic
  • Beech Fork State ParkPublic

Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps

Fishing Beech Fork Lake

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Beech Fork Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Beech Fork Dam (completed 1976), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Beech Fork of Twelve Pole Ck.; earth-type dam, 86 ft tall and 1,080 ft long.

Surface area
720 ac
Normal storage
9,180 ac-ft
Max storage
37,540 ac-ft
Drainage area
78 sq mi
Hazard class
High
Owner
USACE - Huntington District

All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WV09903 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

Beech Fork Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WV-OT-L5-270_b · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.49 km)

Graded lakes near Beech Fork Lake

Beech Fork Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Wayne County

Frequently asked questions about Beech Fork Lake

Where is Beech Fork Lake?

Beech Fork Lake is a lake in Wayne County, West Virginia. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.

What is the water quality grade for Beech Fork Lake?

Beech Fork Lake in Wayne County, West Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.1 µg/L. Surface area: 720 acres.

Is Beech Fork Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Beech Fork Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 16.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Are there boat ramps on Beech Fork Lake?

Beech Fork Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Beech Fork Lake, Beech Fork State Park. Public access is listed as yes.

Eutrophic Lakes in West Virginia

Where this data comes from

8 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.

Collected and reported by

  • West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection-Division of Water & Waste Management-Watershed Assessment BranchWVDEP_WQX8 samples · 2021

Analytical methods

  • 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
  • 446.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophylls and Pheopigments in Phytoplankton by Spectrophotometry
  • Nitrogen Total Calculation
  • Multiparameter Sonde
Monitoring station identifiers (2)

Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.

Other records on this page

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory