Chickahominy Reservoir
Charles City County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #3 of 3 in the county
Chickahominy Reservoir in Charles City County, Virginia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 15.4 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 60 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 15.4 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
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Stays near Chickahominy Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Chickahominy Reservoir in Charles City County, 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Chickahominy Reservoir are listed below.
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Watch Chickahominy Reservoir’s letter
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Chickahominy Reservoir is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Charles City County, Virginia. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Charles City County, Chickahominy Reservoir ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2025-10-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Chickahominy Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 15.4 µg/L. TSI 63. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 60 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 15.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Fishing Chickahominy Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.009 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.43 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.1 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Chickahominy Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VAP-G07L_CHK01A00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Charles City County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Chickahominy Reservoir holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Charles City County
Frequently asked questions about Chickahominy Reservoir
Where is Chickahominy Reservoir?
- Chickahominy Reservoir is a lake in Charles City County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Chickahominy Reservoir?
- Chickahominy Reservoir in Charles City County, Virginia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 15.4 µg/L.
Is Chickahominy Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Chickahominy Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Chickahominy Reservoir across LakeQuality
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Virginia
Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
172 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB172 samples · 2012–2025
Analytical methods
- Tyler, John. 1968. The secchi disk, Limnology and Oceanograpy, 13(1):1-6.
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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