Near Dam Lake
Albemarle County, Virginia410 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- #3 of 8 in the county
Near Dam Lake in Albemarle County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.6 µg/L. Surface area: 410 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.6 ft
- Area
- 410 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 7.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Near Dam Lake’s letter
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Near Dam Lake is a 410-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Albemarle County, Virginia. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Albemarle County, Near Dam Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2022-10-24. 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. Near Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.6 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 410 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Near Dam Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Near Dam Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.036 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.47 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.02 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Near Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the South Rivanna (completed 1965), built primarily for hydroelectric on the South Fork Rivanna; gravity-type dam, 50 ft tall and 700 ft long.
- Surface area
- 410 ac
- Normal storage
- 38,600 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 38,600 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 259 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA003123 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.13 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Near Dam 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 VAV-H26L_01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.11 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 8 lakes in Albemarle County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Near Dam Lake 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 Albemarle County
Frequently asked questions about Near Dam Lake
Where is Near Dam Lake?
- Near Dam Lake is a lake in Albemarle County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Near Dam Lake?
- Near Dam Lake in Albemarle County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.6 µg/L. Surface area: 410 acres.
Is Near Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Near Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Near Dam Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Shenandoah?
Near Dam Lake is about 27 miles from Shenandoah National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Shenandoah →More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Virginia
Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
121 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2015–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB121 samples · 2015–2022
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
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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