Sandy River Lake
Prince Edward County, Virginia740 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #6 of 6 in the county
- Public access
Sandy River Lake in Prince Edward County, Virginia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.6 µg/L. Surface area: 740 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.3 ft
- Area
- 740 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 14.6 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Sandy River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sandy River Lake in Prince Edward 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 Sandy River Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Sandy River Lake
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Watch Sandy River Lake’s letter
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Sandy River Lake is a 740-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Prince Edward County, Virginia. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Prince Edward County, Sandy River Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2026-06-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sandy River Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 14.6 µg/L. TSI 55. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 14.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 740 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Sandy River Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Sandy River ResevoirPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sandy River Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.008 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sandy River Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bush River Dam # 12 (completed 1983), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Sandy River - VAHU6 JA14 Bush River - Sandy River; earth-type dam, 62 ft tall and 1,880 ft long.
- Surface area
- 740 ac
- Normal storage
- 11,530 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 38,534 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 36.79 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Prince Edward County
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA147035 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 6 lakes in Prince Edward County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Sandy River Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Prince Edward County
Frequently asked questions about Sandy River Lake
Where is Sandy River Lake?
- Sandy River Lake is a lake in Prince Edward County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sandy River Lake?
- Sandy River Lake in Prince Edward County, Virginia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.6 µg/L. Surface area: 740 acres.
Is Sandy River Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Sandy River Lake?
- Sandy River Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sandy River Resevoir. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sandy River Lake across LakeQuality
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Virginia
Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
505 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2013–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB505 samples · 2013–2026
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 (3)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory