Upper Lake
Stafford County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 5 in the county
- Limited data
Upper Lake in Stafford County, Virginia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 8.7 ft
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Upper Lake
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Watch Upper Lake’s letter
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Upper Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Stafford County, Virginia. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2018. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Stafford County, Upper Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2018-10-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.7 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.3 µg/L. TSI 41. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Fishing Upper Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.142 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.49 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.3 µg/L/yr | 4 |
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 5 lakes in Stafford County
Nearby Lakes in Stafford County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Lake
Where is Upper Lake?
- Upper Lake is a lake in Stafford County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Upper Lake?
- Upper Lake in Stafford County, Virginia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L.
Is Upper Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Upper Lake across LakeQuality
More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Virginia
Mesotrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
84 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017–2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB84 samples · 2017–2018
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
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.