Nottoway Lake
Nottoway County, Virginia170 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- #2 of 2 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Nottoway Lake in Nottoway County, Virginia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.2 µg/L. Surface area: 170 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.3 ft
- Area
- 170 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 25 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 17.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Nottoway Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nottoway Lake in Nottoway 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Nottoway Lake are listed below.
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Nottoway Lake is a 170-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Nottoway County, Virginia. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Nottoway County, Nottoway Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2026-06-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Nottoway 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: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17.2 µg/L. TSI 56. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 17.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 170 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Nottoway Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Nottoway Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.016 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.57 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.37 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nottoway Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nottoway Lake Dam, built primarily for recreation on the Lees Creek to Cellar Creek - VAHU6 JA30; earth-type dam, 35 ft tall and 980 ft long.
- Surface area
- 170 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,871.3 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,871.3 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6.95 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA135007 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Nottoway 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-J11L_LDJ01A98 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.26 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Nottoway County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Nottoway Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Nottoway County
Frequently asked questions about Nottoway Lake
Where is Nottoway Lake?
- Nottoway Lake is a lake in Nottoway County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Nottoway Lake?
- Nottoway Lake in Nottoway County, Virginia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.2 µg/L. Surface area: 170 acres.
Is Nottoway Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Nottoway Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Nottoway Lake across LakeQuality
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Virginia
Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
51 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB51 samples · 2019–2026
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