Summersville Lake
Summersville Lake in Nicholas County, West Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Surface area: 2790 acres.
- Area
- 2,790 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Why Summersville Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Summersville Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not water clarity.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by your state environmental agency and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Summersville Lake is a 2,790-acre lake in Nicholas County, West Virginia. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2023-06-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Summersville Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 50 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Summersville Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Summersville Lake in Nicholas County, West 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 Summersville Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 2,790 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Summersville Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Summersville LakePublic
- Gauley River (Summersville Lake)Public
- Salmon Run Boat RampPublic
- Battle RunPublic
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Summersville Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Summersville Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Summersville Dam (completed 1965), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Gauley River; rockfill-type dam, 390 ft tall and 2,280 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,790 ac
- Normal storage
- 191,540 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 413,400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 803 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Huntington District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WV06702 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Summersville 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 WV-KG-L5-043_d · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.69 km)
Graded lakes near Summersville Lake
Summersville Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Nicholas County
Frequently asked questions about Summersville Lake
Where is Summersville Lake?
- Summersville Lake is a lake in Nicholas County, West Virginia. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Summersville Lake?
- Summersville Lake in Nicholas County, West Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Surface area: 2790 acres.
Is Summersville Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Summersville Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Summersville Lake?
- Summersville Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Summersville Lake, Gauley River (Summersville Lake), Salmon Run Boat Ramp, Battle Run. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Summersville Lake across LakeGrade
More West Virginia Lake Rankings
Top 25 by overall water quality score
Top 25 by Secchi water clarity
Grade A/B + low algae filter
Panfish-rich, public access
Full state directory
Other Lakes in West Virginia
Mesotrophic Lakes in West Virginia
Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.
Collected and reported by
- West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection-Division of Water & Waste Management-Watershed Assessment Branch
WVDEP_WQX4 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 446.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophylls and Pheopigments in Phytoplankton by Spectrophotometry
- Nitrogen Total Calculation
- Multiparameter Sonde
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