Where is Speights Run?

Speights Run is a lake in Suffolk city County, Virginia. Its water-quality measurements are published by Virginia DEQ and shown on this page as reported.

Speights Run

Suffolk city County, Virginia197 acresView map Directions

Virginia DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Speights Run. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

3.1 ft

Typical for Virginia

Secchi · sampled 2024

Phosphorus

40 µg/L

Typical for Virginia

Measured by Virginia DEQ

Chlorophyll-a

25.8 µg/L

More algae than most

Measured by Virginia DEQ

Area

197 acres

Surface area

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Trend

Stable

6 years of samples

Eutrophic
Impaired · Algal growth

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Speights Run in Suffolk city County, Virginia has water-quality measurements published by Virginia DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.8 µg/L. Surface area: 197 acres.

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Speights Run is a 197-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Suffolk city County, Virginia. Compared to the 13 other monitored lakes in Suffolk city County, Speights Run ranks #10 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2024-10-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Algae risk

Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Speights Run is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Speights Run is safe to swim in today is a call for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Speights Run

These are the measurements Virginia DEQ publishes for Speights Run, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Very murky, less than 3.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 25.8 µg/L. TSI 60.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	3.1ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	40µg/L	Good GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)	25.8µg/L	Fair GoodFairPoor
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	60	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Speights Run

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Surface area

197 acres

No bathymetric survey has been published for Speights Run, so its depth is not documented here.

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Speights Run

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Speights Run in Suffolk city 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Speights Run

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Fishing Speights Run

→ Speights Run fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2012–2024).

Water clarity
Stable
6 years
Phosphorus
Stable
-0.92 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable
-0.37 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Speights Run is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Speights Run Dam, built primarily for water supply on the Speights Run - VAHU6 JL 44 Lake Kelby - Speights Run; earth-type dam, 26 ft tall and 1,800 ft long.

Surface area: 197 ac
Normal storage: 875 ac-ft
Max storage: 3,900 ac-ft
Drainage area: 12.91 sq mi
Hazard class: High
Owner: City of Portsmouth

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA800010 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.1 km)

EPA Impairment Status

Speights Run is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthOxygen depletion (low DO)

Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VAT-G12L_SPE01A06 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Suffolk city County

Station Lake3.6 ft clear · Eutrophic2.2 miView →Lake Kilby—View →Lake Cohoon—View →Rountree South Pond—View →Cedar Lake—View →Ferry Point Pond—View →

Frequently asked questions about Speights Run

Where is Speights Run?: Speights Run is a lake in Suffolk city County, Virginia. Its water-quality measurements are published by Virginia DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Speights Run?: Speights Run in Suffolk city County, Virginia has water-quality measurements published by Virginia DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.8 µg/L. Surface area: 197 acres.
Is Speights Run safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Speights Run is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.

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