Site:

Mt. Storm Lake  (Vepco Lake)

Location:

Mt. Storm, West Virginia

Dive Type:

Lake

Associtated Costs:

Free

Depth:

132' (40m) maximum

Temperature:

60°-90° F

Visibility:

10'-20' max

Things to see:

Mt. Storm Lake was created in 1962 by Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) as a cooling pond for the 1,600-megawatt Mt. Storm Power Station, which provides electricity to more than 2 million customers. After leaving the plant, the water comes out at 100 degrees! It is about 145 miles west of Washington D.C. and 64 miles from Winchester, Virginia, via U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia 42. The lake is about 1,200-acre and is used by boaters, swimmers and scuba divers.

There are a three platforms near the entry area. About 150 feet offshore, an 8-foot-by-8-foot wooden platform is suspended at a depth of 25 feet. Then, about a hundred feet further out another platform hangs at 50 feet , and a line leads down to a third platform standing on legs just off the bottom at 90 feet.

Due to the severe temperature changes, the aquatic life is limited. Catfish, bluegills, and mussel are what you will see mostly. There are some pine trees, a fence and a shed to look at.

Weekends are usually busy with student divers in the summer, like most sites. There is a law requiring that a dive flag be carried and you must remain within one hundred feet of it. The local Deputies love to stand and look for bubbles without a dive flag. They will wait for you to come out, and they will fine you. This is not without warrant, there is a lot of boat traffic on this lake.

Also, this is an altitude dive. The lake sits just over 3200 feet above sea level.

Training Area Location

Latitude: 39 12' 40"
Longitude: 79 15' 30"
NE Corner of Mt. Storm Lake
1.5 miles West of Bismarck, WV on WV Rt 93
200 ft East of Dam breast
50 ft West of Public Access Boat Launch (keep away from the boat launch!)
USGS Quadrangle: Mt. Storm Lake, WV (7.5')

Mt. Storm Lake Information

Lake Built: 1962
Altitude: 3244 ft
Maximum Depth: 128 (depth will rise 3 ft in Summer 1997)
Distance from Washington Beltway: 145 miles

Directions from Winchester, VA:
US Rt 50 West to Mt. Storm, WV (57 miles)
WV Rt 42 South to WV Rt 93 (4 miles)
WV Rt 93 West to Mt. Storm Lake Training Area/Boat Launch (2.5 miles)

Diving Hours:

24

Air Fills:

No

Local Shops:

none that we know of, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it us if you know of any close 

Camping:

No

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