Middle Blackwater River Lake
Franklin County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · PCBs
- #9 of 13 in the county
Middle Blackwater River Lake in Franklin County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5.9 ft
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Middle Blackwater River Lake’s letter
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Middle Blackwater River Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Franklin County, Virginia. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Franklin County, Middle Blackwater River Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2026-06-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Middle Blackwater River Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Middle Blackwater River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.6 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Recreation & Access
- Magnum Point MarinaSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Middle Blackwater River Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 15 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.079 m/yr | 15 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.9 µg/L/yr | 14 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.31 µg/L/yr | 14 |
EPA Impairment Status
Middle Blackwater River Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VAW-L10L_BWR02A10 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.52 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #9 of 13 lakes in Franklin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Middle Blackwater River 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 Franklin County
Frequently asked questions about Middle Blackwater River Lake
Where is Middle Blackwater River Lake?
- Middle Blackwater River Lake is a lake in Franklin County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Middle Blackwater River Lake?
- Middle Blackwater River Lake in Franklin County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L.
Is Middle Blackwater River Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Middle Blackwater River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Middle Blackwater River Lake?
- Middle Blackwater River Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Magnum Point Marina.
Explore Middle Blackwater River Lake across LakeQuality
0.4 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Virginia's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Virginia's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Other Grade C Lakes in Virginia
Mesotrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
610 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB610 samples · 2012–2026
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
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory