At its November 20 meeting the Lake Anna Advisory Committee (LAAC) approved its annual report entitled State of Lake Anna.
The 2025 annual report covers a number of issues affecting the lake.
Recommendations made in the report to the counties included the following: 1) Increase LAAC funding, as requested for FY27, to cover anticipated increase in program costs, 2) Continue to request for funding and organizational support from Virginia General Assembly during its 2026 Session for hydrilla mitigation, phosphorus remediation, and water safety programs, 3) Add PFAS loading in Lake Anna as a consideration when considering impacts to the watershed, 4) Support, funding and process, for contracted labor support to complete required buoy maintenance resulting in less risk to member localities and volunteers, 5) Focus on boat and water safety education that promotes boating etiquette and tolerance of increased activities and 6) Institute a paid position of a “Lake Keeper” to manage LAAC and county efforts pertaining to the Lake Anna community and its growth to exceed what volunteers can handle alone.
As of November 1, 2025, LAAC had funded $24,000 in hydrilla mitigation and over $6,000 in buoy maintenance, both well above the three-year annual average amounts. The report details LAAC’s request for $18,000 from both Louisa and Spotsylvania Counties and $5,000 from Orange County to address core responsibilities of hydrilla and buoys.
There are 28 No Wake Buoys at 10 bridges LAAC manages as well as 39 Hazard Buoys all over the lake.
LAAC also manages the Phosphorus Remediation Program, administering to over $750,000 of efforts in 2025 to treat the North Anna River and Pamunkey Branch of the lake.
“Lake Anna is a major economic engine for Louisa County and does its part for Orange and Spotsylvania Counties through visitor and resident spending and the accompanying tax revenues. All three counties would be wise to reinvest a portion of these revenues to address the environmental, safety, infrastructure and recreation factors noted in this report. LAAC can function as a liaison, buffer, manager, etc. for the Counties as long as communication is open and timely and LAAC funding is maintained at an appropriate level,” noted McCotter is his Chairman’s Message section of the report.
“This report not only demonstrates how LAAC is serving as an advisory body, but it also displays a serious commitment by its volunteers and appointees to watch over and administer to Lake Anna that should reassure counties funding LAAC of how taxpayer monies can be spend prudently.
“It is my hope that all three counties, through this report, will take notice of LAACs continued and growing efforts in supporting the positive impact Lake Anna has on the communities that surround it. Buoys are not bought and placed for free. Hydrilla is not managed for free. When LAAC acts, County staff and elected officials can note the problems constituents contact them with are being addressed. If LAAC does not act, the counties will have to take over costly and time-consuming duties.”
LAAC, formed in 1994, is a joint administrative organization of the Counties of Louisa, Spotsylvania, and Orange, under the provisions of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended. The purpose of LAAC is to address matters of join interests pertaining to Lake Anna and the adjacent shorelands governed by the surrounding counties.
The stated purposes of LAAC are: 1) To promote cooperation and coordination among the local governing bodies and Dominion Energy on issues concerning Lake Anna, 2) To develop recommendations for new or revised ordinances and legislation specifically addressing the needs, issues, and/or problems involving Lake Anna, its shoreline, its shoreland area behind the lake, and the watersheds of Lake Anna as designated by the local governments, 3) To promote planning and management for land, water, and other natural resources and environmental quality maintenance, 4) To administer to on-lake marker program (to include no-wake, hazard, and similar buoys), 5) To promote research, control, and/or eradication of undesirable aquatic weeds in Lake Anna, improve the quality of the water, and control pollution in and around Lake Anna and 6) To initiate discussions with all local, state, and federal agencies concerned with the quality of human life, water, pollution, recreation, wildlife, and fish and fishing condition in and around Lake Anna and to pass on to all governmental agencies on the local, state, or federal level any recommendations believed feasible and necessary to accomplish the purposes of LAAC.
