Smith Mountain Lake
Franklin County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Impaired · PCBs
- Limited data
Smith Mountain Lake in Franklin County, Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Smith Mountain Lake’s letter
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Why Smith Mountain Lake has no grade
Smith Mountain Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Smith Mountain Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 7-foot median from 2 readings collected 2015–2017 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by Virginia DEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Smith Mountain Lake is a lake in Franklin County, Virginia. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2017-07-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Smith Mountain Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Smith Mountain Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Smith Mountain Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. TSI 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Recreation & Access
- Smith Mountain LakeSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Smith Mountain Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 15 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.064 m/yr | 15 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.32 µg/L/yr | 15 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.04 µg/L/yr | 15 |
EPA Impairment Status
Smith Mountain Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VAW-L07L_ROA01A10 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.42 km)
Graded lakes near Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Franklin County
Frequently asked questions about Smith Mountain Lake
Where is Smith Mountain Lake?
- Smith Mountain Lake is a lake in Franklin County, Virginia. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Smith Mountain Lake?
- Smith Mountain Lake in Franklin County, Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility.
Is Smith Mountain Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Smith Mountain Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Smith Mountain Lake?
- Smith Mountain Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Smith Mountain Lake.
Explore Smith Mountain Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2015–2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS2 samples · 2015–2017
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