Near Spillway Lake Mooney
Stafford County, Virginia518 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #3 of 5 in the county
- Public access
Near Spillway Lake Mooney in Stafford County, Virginia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.4 µg/L. Surface area: 518 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.2 ft
- Area
- 518 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Near Spillway Lake Mooney
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Near Spillway Lake Mooney in Stafford 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Near Spillway Lake Mooney
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Virginia’s top lakes →
Watch Near Spillway Lake Mooney’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Near Spillway Lake Mooney is a 518-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Stafford County, Virginia. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Stafford County, Near Spillway Lake Mooney ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2024-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Near Spillway Lake Mooney is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Near Spillway Lake Mooney is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.2 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.4 µg/L. TSI 39. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 518 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Near Spillway Lake Mooney, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Mooney ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Near Spillway Lake Mooney
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.142 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.49 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.3 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Near Spillway Lake Mooney is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Mooney Dam, built primarily for water supply on the Rocky Pen Run; earth-type dam, 130 ft tall and 1,350 ft long.
- Surface area
- 518 ac
- Normal storage
- 16,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 21,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Stafford County - County Administrator
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA179024 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.16 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Near Spillway Lake Mooney 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 VAN-E19L_MOT02A02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.27 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 5 lakes in Stafford County
Nearby Lakes in Stafford County
Frequently asked questions about Near Spillway Lake Mooney
Where is Near Spillway Lake Mooney?
- Near Spillway Lake Mooney is a lake in Stafford County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Near Spillway Lake Mooney?
- Near Spillway Lake Mooney in Stafford County, Virginia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.4 µg/L. Surface area: 518 acres.
Is Near Spillway Lake Mooney safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Near Spillway Lake Mooney is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Near Spillway Lake Mooney?
- Near Spillway Lake Mooney has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Mooney Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Near Spillway Lake Mooney 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.
Virginia's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Virginia
Oligotrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
176 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB176 samples · 2017–2024
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
- 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory