Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake
Amherst County, Virginia194 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #2 of 7 in the county
Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake in Amherst County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.5 µg/L. Surface area: 194 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.1 ft
- Area
- 194 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 11.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake’s letter
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Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake is a 194-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Amherst County, Virginia. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Amherst County, Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2026-07-08. 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. Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11.5 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 194 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.023 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.5 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buffalo River Dam # 4a, built primarily for water supply on the Mill Creek; earth-type dam, 64 ft tall and 400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 194 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,934 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,184 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 8.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Amherst County Department of Public Works
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA009024 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.85 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Northeast Arm of Mill Creek 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 VAW-H11L_MIN01A06 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.67 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 7 lakes in Amherst County
Nearby Lakes in Amherst County
Frequently asked questions about Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake
Where is Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake?
- Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake is a lake in Amherst County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake?
- Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake in Amherst County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.5 µg/L. Surface area: 194 acres.
Is Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Northeast Arm of Mill Creek Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 12.8 mi, nearest Statons Creek Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Virginia's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
79 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB79 samples · 2025–2026
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