Lake Anna is a lake in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Its water-quality measurements are published by Virginia DEQ and shown on this page as reported.

Lake Anna

Spotsylvania County, VirginiaView map Directions

Virginia DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Anna. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

3.3 ft

Typical for Virginia

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

30 µg/L

Typical for Virginia

Measured by Virginia DEQ

Chlorophyll-a

21.2 µg/L

More algae than most

Measured by Virginia DEQ

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Trend

Improving

9 years of samples

Eutrophic
Impaired · Algal growth

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Lake Anna in Spotsylvania County, Virginia has water-quality measurements published by Virginia DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.2 µg/L.

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Lake Anna is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Spotsylvania County, Lake Anna ranks #5 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2026-07-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Recreation use not supported

Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Anna is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Lake Anna is safe to swim in today is a call for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Lake Anna

These are the measurements Virginia DEQ publishes for Lake Anna, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 21.2 µg/L. TSI 58.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	3.3ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	30µg/L	Fair GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)	21.2µg/L	Poor GoodFairPoor
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	58	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Lake Anna

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lake Anna

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Anna in Spotsylvania 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lake Anna are listed below.

Top-rated places to stay near Lake Anna

Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Virginia’s top lakes →

Follow Lake Anna’s readings

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Fishing Lake Anna

→ Lake Anna fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 9 years of monitoring (2018–2026).

Water clarity
Improving
9 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-2.72 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable
-0.23 µg/L/yr7 years

See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

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

Causes of impairment

Algal growthPCBs

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation.

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VAN-F07L_NAR04A06 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Spotsylvania County

North Anna River Lake—View →Upper Branch of Terry'S Run Lake0.7 ft clear · Hypereutrophic—View →Fisherman'S Cover Lake5.6 ft clear—View →Fawn Lake—View →Wilderness Run Lake—View →Hazel Grove Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Lake Anna

Where is Lake Anna?: Lake Anna is a lake in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Its water-quality measurements are published by Virginia DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Anna?: Lake Anna in Spotsylvania County, Virginia has water-quality measurements published by Virginia DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.2 µg/L.
Is Lake Anna safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Anna is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.

Explore Lake Anna across LakeQuality

Wakesurfing on Lake Anna

Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Virginia Lake Trips

Where to stay at Virginia's top lakes, each with its readings

The State of Virginia's Lakes

Virginia's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements

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Clearest lakes in Virginia

Ranked by Secchi water clarity

All Virginia lakes

Every Virginia lake with its Virginia DEQ measurements

Lake water quality by country

Official ratings and named-lake measurements

Other Lakes in Virginia

Lake Orange

Orange County · 3.9 ft

Lake Culpeper

Culpeper County · 2 ft

Mountain Run Lake

Culpeper County · 2.6 ft

Ut To Chk Lake

Hanover County · Measured

Powhatan Lake

Powhatan County · 2.3 ft

Fluvanna Ruritan Lake

Fluvanna County · 3.3 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia

Contrary Creek Arm of Lake Anna Northeast Reservoir Lake Orange Lake Culpeper

Where this data comes from

4,484 measurements from 29 monitoring stations, 2012–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY21VASWCB4,281 samples · 2012–2026
USGS Virginia Water Science CenterUSGS-VA203 samples · 2020–2024

Analytical methods

Secchi disk method
P, wu, ascorbic acid colorimetry
Particulate-P, SAF colorimetry
Plant pigments, algae, vis spec
YSI EXO turbidity sensor, FNU
Turbidity, wu, lab nephelometry
Tyler, John. 1968. The secchi disk, Limnology and Oceanograpy, 13(1):1-6.
Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
USEPA Chesapeake Bay Methods 1996 P IV - 30. Particulate Phosphorus
440 S ~ Determination of Carbon and Nitrogen

Monitoring station identifiers (29)

EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.

Other records on this page

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database