Lake Gaston
Mecklenburg County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #5 of 9 in the county
- Public access
Lake Gaston in Mecklenburg County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 4.3 ft
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.9 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Gaston’s letter
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Lake Gaston is a mesotrophic lake in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Mecklenburg County, Lake Gaston ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2026-06-25. 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. Lake Gaston is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.9 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Fishing Lake Gaston
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Gaston 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-L80L_ROA08A04 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 9 lakes in Mecklenburg County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Gaston holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Mecklenburg County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Gaston
Where is Lake Gaston?
- Lake Gaston is a lake in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Gaston?
- Lake Gaston in Mecklenburg County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L.
Is Lake Gaston safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Gaston is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Lake Gaston across LakeQuality
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Virginia
Prince Edward County · 2.6 ft
Prince Edward County · 2.6 ft
Prince Edward County · 3.9 ft
Prince Edward County · 4.3 ft
Amelia County · 3.9 ft
Buckingham County · 6.4 ft
Mesotrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
1,029 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2012–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB993 samples · 2012–2026 - North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ36 samples · 2014–2024
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
- 446.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophylls and Pheopigments in Phytoplankton by Spectrophotometry
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- WSSSOP
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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