Curtis Lake
Stafford County, Virginia95 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #4 of 5 in the county
- Public access
Curtis Lake in Stafford County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.1 µg/L. Surface area: 95 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.3 ft
- Area
- 95 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 25 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 12.1 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Curtis Lake’s letter
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Curtis Lake is a 95-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stafford County, Virginia. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Stafford County, Curtis Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2024-10-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Curtis Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.1 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 95 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Curtis Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Curtis Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.042 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.8 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.09 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Curtis Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Curtis Dam, built primarily for recreation on the Long Branch; earth-type dam, 38 ft tall and 1,350 ft long.
- Surface area
- 95 ac
- Normal storage
- 824 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,030 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.63 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA179010 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Curtis Lake 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 VAN-A29L_LOH02A02 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in Stafford County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Curtis Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Stafford County
Frequently asked questions about Curtis Lake
Where is Curtis Lake?
- Curtis Lake is a lake in Stafford County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Curtis Lake?
- Curtis Lake in Stafford County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.1 µg/L. Surface area: 95 acres.
Is Curtis Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Curtis Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Curtis Lake across LakeQuality
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Virginia
Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
114 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB114 samples · 2016–2024
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
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