South Holston Lake
Washington County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #2 of 2 in the county
- Public access
South Holston Lake in Washington County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 7.2 ft
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 7.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch South Holston Lake’s letter
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South Holston Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washington County, Virginia. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Washington County, South Holston Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2026-07-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What South Holston Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
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. South Holston Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.5 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Recreation & Access
- BaumgardnerPublic
- Whitaker Hollow ParkPublic
- AvensPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing South Holston Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.033 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.91 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.1 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
South Holston 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 VAS-O06L_SFH01A00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Washington County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
South Holston Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about South Holston Lake
Where is South Holston Lake?
- South Holston Lake is a lake in Washington County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for South Holston Lake?
- South Holston Lake in Washington County, Virginia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L.
Is South Holston Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. South Holston Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on South Holston Lake?
- South Holston Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Baumgardner, Whitaker Hollow Park, Avens. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore South Holston Lake across LakeQuality
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Virginia
Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
98 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2015–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB98 samples · 2015–2026
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
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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