Wise Lake
Wise County, Virginia58 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
Wise Lake in Wise County, Virginia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Surface area: 57.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Area
- 58 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Wise Lake’s letter
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Wise Lake is a 58-acre mesotrophic lake in Wise County, Virginia. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Wise County, Wise Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Virginia DEQ, last sampled 2022-10-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Wise Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.5 ft of visibility
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 40. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 58 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Wise Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Wise Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.135 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.36 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.08 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wise Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bear Creek Dam, built primarily for water supply on the Tr-Bear Creek; earth-type dam, 45 ft tall and 550 ft long.
- Surface area
- 57.7 ac
- Normal storage
- 576 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,155 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.32 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Town of Wise
All listed purposes: Water Supply;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VA195011 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Wise County
Nearby Lakes in Wise County
Frequently asked questions about Wise Lake
Where is Wise Lake?
- Wise Lake is a lake in Wise County, Virginia. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wise Lake?
- Wise Lake in Wise County, Virginia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Surface area: 57.7 acres.
Is Wise Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Wise Lake across LakeQuality
15.2 mi away · 60 ft
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Virginia's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
116 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
21VASWCB116 samples · 2013–2022
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.