Horseshoe Point Lake
Patrick County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #3 of 6 in the county
Horseshoe Point Lake in Patrick County, Virginia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 9.8 ft
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.7 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Horseshoe Point Lake’s letter
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Horseshoe Point Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Patrick County, Virginia. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Patrick County, Horseshoe Point Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2024-10-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Horseshoe Point Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water9.8 ft of visibility
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Horseshoe Point Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO), temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.7 µg/L. TSI 39. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Fishing Horseshoe Point Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.046 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.35 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.02 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Horseshoe Point 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 VAW-L51L_SRE02A02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.93 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 6 lakes in Patrick County
Nearby Lakes in Patrick County
Frequently asked questions about Horseshoe Point Lake
Where is Horseshoe Point Lake?
- Horseshoe Point Lake is a lake in Patrick County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Horseshoe Point Lake?
- Horseshoe Point Lake in Patrick County, Virginia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L.
Is Horseshoe Point Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Horseshoe Point Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO), temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Horseshoe Point Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Virginia's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Other Grade A Lakes in Virginia
Oligotrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
117 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB117 samples · 2019–2024
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