Lake Anna 101

Everyone’s first question concerns location. What part of the lake is most desirable? The answer is simply that your needs will determine that. If you are purchasing for a weekend retreat or vacation home then you might want to locate for convenience depending on where you are commuting from.

If you are purchasing for a full time residence then you need to visit the communities and see what each one has to offer. Lake Anna is beautiful and each area has something to offer depending on your expectations of lake living. Knowing about each area is very important and I hope this information will help make your journey easier.

I Can't find Lake Anna, Va on the map!

Lake Anna borders three counties, Louisa, Orange & Spotsylvania.

With in these counties you also have cities like Bumpass and Mineral that are the actual addresses for the lake homes. This is why you will not be able to put an address into a map program with Lake Anna, VA as the city.

Private or Public side of Lake Anna

The lake is divided into two sections, the public side and the private side. This is a major decision when it comes to location and as you will see there are significant differences in the two. Also, keep in mind that you cannot navigate by boat from one section to the other.

Public Side
The public side also known as the “cold side” is the main part of the lake. This section of the lake is approximately 18 miles long and 9,600 surface acres of water. This section of the lake is where the state park is located as well as marinas and boat accessible restaurants. Residents that live on the public side enjoy the convenience of the marinas and along with the fact that it is the larger section.   

Private Side
The private side, also known as the “warm” side is located entirely in Louisa County and serves as a cooling lagoon for Dominion Power. This section has over 3,000 surface acres so there is plenty of lake to enjoy. The water temperatures in this section are several degrees warmer than the public side.  There is a series of three dikes that separates it entirely from the rest of the lake.  There are no commercial properties which mean no marinas, restaurants or public ramps. This means you will have to bring in gas for your boats. Residents that live on the private side enjoy less boat traffic and noise. Also, skiers like the fact that there is fewer wakes from other boats and those fishing like the extended fishing season due to the warmer water.

Fishing at Lake Anna

Anglers will rejoice as over 30 species of fish populate these waters including stripers, large mouth bass, walleye, catfish, crappie, bluegill and white & yellow perch. Weekly fishing leagues keep our full time and local residents happy while sanctioned tournaments bring fishermen and women from afar. Lake Anna is a fishing hot spot!

Boating at Lake Anna

Boats of all sorts and sizes are welcome on our lake. There are no restrictions as to size or number. Sailboat enthusiasts will prefer the more open, wide water appeal of the southern end of the lake while the fishing crowd will find many hot spots including the northern “On Golden Pond” end of the lake.

Lake Anna – The Beginning

In 1968, Virginia Electric Power Company (now Dominion), purchased 18,000 acres of farmlands in three counties along the North Anna and Pamunkey Rivers to provide clean, fresh water to cool the nuclear power generating plants at the North Anna Nuclear Generating Station adjacent to the lake. By 1972 the lake bottom was cleared of all timber and the dam was nearing completion. It was projected to take 3 years to completely fill the lake, but with the additional rainfall from hurricane Agnes, the lake was full in only 11 months. The first communities broke ground at about that same time and from that beginning, the lake has grown to over 120 different communities dotting the shore.