Near the Dam Lake
Amelia County, Virginia102 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 31 ft max depth
- Public access
Near the Dam Lake in Amelia County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.5 µg/L. Surface area: 102 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~31 ft est.
- Area
- 102 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 9.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Near the Dam Lake’s letter
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Near the Dam Lake is a 102-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Amelia County, Virginia with an estimated average depth of about 31 feet. Water quality is graded C 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. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Amelia County, Near the Dam Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2024-10-07. 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 the Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.5 µg/L. TSI 52. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~31 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 102 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Virginia has not published bathymetry for Near the Dam Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Near the Dam Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.125 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.64 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.47 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Near the Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Amelia Dam, built primarily for recreation on the Unnamed tributary to Appomattox River - Bent Creek VAHU6 JA21; earth-type dam, 38 ft tall and 880 ft long.
- Surface area
- 102 ac
- Max storage
- 743 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.12 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA007001 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.17 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Near the 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 VAP-J07L_XLW01A00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.72 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Amelia County
Nearby Lakes in Amelia County
Frequently asked questions about Near the Dam Lake
Where is Near the Dam Lake?
- Near the Dam Lake is a lake in Amelia 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 the Dam Lake?
- Near the Dam Lake in Amelia County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.5 µg/L. Surface area: 102 acres.
Is Near the Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Near the Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Near the Dam Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Near the Dam Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 31 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 102 acres.
Explore Near the Dam Lake 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 · 4.3 ft
Prince Edward County · 3.9 ft
Buckingham County · 6.4 ft
Albemarle County · 6.6 ft
Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
97 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
21VASWCB97 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
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)