Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake
Albemarle County, VirginiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- #8 of 8 in the county
Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake in Albemarle County, Virginia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.1 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 4.3 ft
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 40 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 16.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake in Albemarle 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 Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake
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Watch Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake’s letter
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Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Albemarle County, Virginia. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Albemarle County, Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2022-10-24. 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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 16.1 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 40 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 16.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Fishing Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.036 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.47 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.02 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Upstream of Ivy Creek 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 VAV-H26L_01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.64 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 8 lakes in Albemarle County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Albemarle County
Frequently asked questions about Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake
Where is Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake?
- Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake is a lake in Albemarle County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake?
- Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake in Albemarle County, Virginia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.1 µg/L.
Is Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Shenandoah?
Upstream of Ivy Creek Lake is about 27 miles from Shenandoah National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Shenandoah →More Virginia Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Virginia
Eutrophic Lakes in Virginia
Where this data comes from
121 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2015–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB121 samples · 2015–2022
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
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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