Franklin County, Virginia · Water Quality Report Card
Cove Lake
Cove Lake in Franklin County, Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 10.2 ft
- Mean depth
- ~65 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Cove Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Franklin County, Virginia with an estimated average depth of about 65 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2025-08-04. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Cove Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water Quality Grade: Not rated
Good clarity, visible to about 10.2 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.2 ft | |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~65 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Virginia has not published bathymetry for Cove Lake.
Where to stay near Cove Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cove Lake in Franklin 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Cove Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Cove Lake?
Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Cove Lake — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Virginia’s top lakes →
Fishing Cove Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 15 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.115 m/yr | 15 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.42 µg/L/yr | 14 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.06 µg/L/yr | 14 |
Location
Nearby Lakes in Franklin County
Explore Cove Lake across LakeGrade
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Virginia
Rockbridge County · Not rated
Rockbridge County · Not rated
Appomattox County · 4.3 ft
Buckingham County · 3 ft
Rockingham County · Not rated
Brunswick County · Not rated
Mesotrophic Lakes in Virginia
More records, surveys & data sources
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB1 sample · 2025
Analytical methods
- Tyler, John. 1968. The secchi disk, Limnology and Oceanograpy, 13(1):1-6.
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion
Most recent sample: 2025-08-04
Monitoring stations: 1