Swift Creek Lake
Colonial Heights city County, Virginia38 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Noxious aquatic plants
- Public access
- Limited data
Swift Creek Lake in Colonial Heights city County, Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Surface area: 38 acres.
- Area
- 38 acres
- Phosphorus
- 60 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Swift Creek Lake’s letter
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Why Swift Creek Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: 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 Swift Creek Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
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 Virginia DEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Swift Creek Lake is a 38-acre lake in Colonial Heights city County, Virginia. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2013-07-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedBacteria advisory
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Swift Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for noxious aquatic plants, pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Swift Creek Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 60 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 60 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 38 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Swift Creek Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Swift Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.05 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Swift Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lakeview (completed 1920), built primarily for recreation on the Swift Creek; concrete-type dam, 39 ft tall and 472 ft long.
- Surface area
- 38 ac
- Normal storage
- 610 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 610 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 168 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Colonial Heights
All listed purposes: Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA570001 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.53 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Swift Creek 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 VAP-J17E_SFT01D04 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Swift Creek Lake
Swift Creek Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Colonial Heights city County
Frequently asked questions about Swift Creek Lake
Where is Swift Creek Lake?
- Swift Creek Lake is a lake in Colonial Heights city 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 Swift Creek Lake?
- Swift Creek Lake in Colonial Heights city County, Virginia is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Surface area: 38 acres.
Is Swift Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Swift Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for noxious aquatic plants, pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2013. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB1 sample · 2013
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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