Sta Lake
Virginia Beach city County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #3 of 3 in the county
Sta Lake in Virginia Beach city County, Virginia has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 85.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 150 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 85.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Sta Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sta Lake in Virginia Beach 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Sta Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Sta Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Sta Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Virginia Beach city County, Virginia. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Virginia Beach city County, Sta Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2026-06-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sta Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 85.6 µg/L. TSI 76. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 150 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 85.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 76 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Fishing Sta Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | 0 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.83 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.94 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sta 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 VAT-C08L_LTR01A08 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.68 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Virginia Beach city County
Nearby Lakes in Virginia Beach city County
Frequently asked questions about Sta Lake
Where is Sta Lake?
- Sta Lake is a lake in Virginia Beach city County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sta Lake?
- Sta Lake in Virginia Beach city County, Virginia has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 85.6 µg/L.
Is Sta Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sta Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Sta Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Virginia's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
453 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2014–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB453 samples · 2014–2026
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 (5)
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