Note: Larger versions of all the images on this page may be viewed by clicking on the smaller version displayed. File sizes of the larger pictures range from 30kb to 55 kb.

(picture at left is of dock at main lake at Clubhouse Point) Lake of the Woods has three bodies of water within the community. The first is The Lake of the Woods or the main lake, which is 500 acres in size with multiple coves off the main lake, varying in size and depth (lake depth map). The water in the main lake ranges in depth from two feet at the upper southwest end where Flat Run enters the lake to forty-five feet at the lower end at the dam. The normal level for the lake as related to sea level is 317.5. The second body of water is Keaton’s Run Lake, which is located in Section 13. It is 30 acres in size. Both of these lakes have an abundance of fish and both are maintained in a healthy state for all purposes.

(picture at right is of the dam on the small lake) Only boats with electric motors or manpower can be used on Keaton’s Run Lake. Boats with gasoline-powered motors cannot be used on this lake even if the motor is tilted up and not used. The normal level for the lake as related to sea level is 284.0.

 

(picture at left is of the children's fishing tournament) The third body of water is the entrance pond at the front gate. It is approximately 2-3 acres in size and its use is restricted. No boats, swimming or fishing is allowed, except that fishing is allowed in this pond once a year for the fishing club to sponsor the annual children’s fishing tournament.

Only LOW members in good standing may use boats on the lakes within Lake of the Woods. Owners must pass a comprehensive test covering boat operations and lake related regulations. Boats must be registered with Administration (Security) each year and an annual fee must be paid. Refer to the Fee Schedule (PDF document - requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) for the current annual fee. The boats must be registered to the member; it cannot be a friend’s boat or a relative’s boat on loan, etc.

The main lake is patrolled during the boating season and persons found in violation of regulations may be cited by the security patrol. The speed limit, during daylight hours, is 36 mph and boats must travel in a counter clockwise direction around the lake. The speed limit on Keaton’s Run Lake is 5 mph. Safety is a primary concern and boats must maintain a safe distance, 100 feet, between other boats and skiers when underway at speeds over 5 miles per hour. See LOWA Regulations (PDF document - requires Adobe Acrobat Reader), Section X for complete description of rules for lake use.

The lake bottom was cleared of standing trees before filling with water, but underwater hazards still exist such as tree stumps. No one should ever jump or dive into the water prior to an underwater examination of what might be there that can’t be seen from the surface. There is a series of buoys placed around the lake indicating an invisible line between the buoys and the shore. Boats operating between the buoys and the shore are required to operate with NO WAKE. This is a safety issue as well as an environmental issue.

The LOW Fishing Club, the Lake Users Committee and the Maintenance and Ecology Committee have placed habitat underneath the water for the fish environment. This habitat is primarily brush and plastic lattice cubes called Berkley’s. This material provides cover for smaller fish to use as protection from larger fish. The habitat program has been in development over several years and is contributing to the improvement of the fish population within the lakes. Each year, the Maintenance Department purchases, with the advice of the committees and the Fishing Club, bait and game fish of differing types, to stock the lake.

Both of our lakes are dependent on the surrounding watershed. The watershed will affect our lakes if that land is somehow degraded, i.e., cattle, over fertilization, excessive use of chemicals, etc. The water that feeds our lakes comes from a wide area surrounding Lake of the Woods. Much of this land is totally outside of our boundaries and we have little to no control over it. Our plans call for us to get more involved with this critical land mass to be proactive and informative to our neighbors so that our lakes can continue to be of the top quality that we have had in the past. For your information a map (PDF document - 37kb file size) of this area is available and can be printed on your computer.

Each year in the spring growing season one of the tasks of our Maintenance Department is to have a vegetation survey done on our lakes. The results of this year’s survey were very good and can be seen on the Vegetation Survey map (PDF document - 18kb file size).

Other useful information about the lakes:

BEACHES:

There are nine beaches and eight access points on the main lake and one beach and one access point on Keaton’s Run Lake. The largest and most frequently used beach is located at the Clubhouse. The many access points around the lakes allow non-waterfront lot owners a place to launch small boats like canoes, kayaks and sailboats. All of the beaches and access points are identified on the official Lake of the Woods map. Signs from Lakeview Parkway also identify the beaches. The beaches are tested regularly during the year to make sure that the water is free of contaminants.

MARINAS:

(picture at left is a panorama of the main marina on the main lake) Lake of the Woods operates two marinas, the Main Marina and the Small Marina. The Small Marina is located off Lakeview Parkway on the West side of the lake near Fairfax Lane. The Main Marina is located on Riverdale Lane, which is also accessed from Lakeview Parkway.

(picture at right is of the smal marina on the main lake) Both marinas have boat launching ramps and boat slips for rent. The Main Marina has a gas and oil fueling point that is accessible from the water. The Main Marina has restrooms within the small building at the top of the marina area and the Small Marina has a portable toilet. The Main Marina has 13 dry storage slips for sailboats and 47 wet slips for powerboats, sailboats or pontoon boats. The Small Marina has 41 wet storage slips for powerboats, sailboats or pontoon boats.

The boat slips at either marina are available on a limited annual basis to members by paying an annual fee. To obtain a rental slip, you must pay a $50 deposit to LOWA to get on the waiting list. Once a rental slip is available and you are a member in good standing and your name comes to the top of the list, you will be offered a slip. If you do not want the rental slip offered, you will receive a refund of your deposit, or you may elect to pass on the rental slip offered and your deposit will be retained along with your position on the waiting list. If you accept the rental slip, your deposit is applied to the annual fee. You cannot sublease the rental slip. If you sell your house, and you have a rental slip, the rental slip does not transfer with the house to the new owner; it is reassigned to the next person on the waiting list.

After Memorial Day, the main marina gas station is open daily, except Mondays. Hours of operation are 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm daily and 9:30 am – 6:30 pm weekends.

No swimming is allowed at either marina.

BOAT LAUNCHING RAMPS:

(picture at left is of the boat ramp at the Main Marina on the main lake) As mentioned earlier, both marinas have boat ramps for launching of boats and there is parking available for the cars/trucks and trailers while the boats are on the lake. There is no overnight parking of cars/trucks or trailers allowed at either marina. There is parking available for 6 cars/trucks with trailers and 9 spaces for just cars/trucks at the main marina and overflow parking for 10-15 cars/trucks on the grassy area, referred to as the meadow, just past the marina. At the small marina there is parking available for 12 cars/trucks with trailers and 13 marked spaces for cars/trucks without trailers as well as overflow parking in the center of the lot, which is not lined off.

The ramps are used on a first-come-first-served basis. All the loading and unloading of supplies from the car/truck to the boat should take place prior to launch or retrieval in the parking lot so that the ramps will not be held up unnecessarily, forcing people to wait to launch or retrieve their boats.

If you use your boat outside of LOW, be sure to thoroughly clean the trailer, the bilge, the motor and the outside of your boat to get rid of any possible remains of HYDRILLA or MUSSELS. These two pests are not welcome in LOW and we have to be vigilant to prevent them from accidentally being transported to our lakes.

FISHING:

On May 13, 2004 a fish survey was conducted by personnel from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the LOWA Water Resources Manager. Overall the fish population in the Main Lake is balanced and in good condition. Species sampled included largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, redear sunfish, green sunfish, yellow perch, brown bullhead, redbreast sunfish, spotfin shiner, channel catfish, and warmouth. The full report can be found here: 2004 Fish Survey

 

(picture at left and below is from the annual children's fishing tournament at the front entrance pond) The LOW Fishing Club works closely with the Lake Users Committee and the Maintenance Department in making sure that the lake is stocked with game fish and feeder fish each year, in the spring, as well as the installation of habitat for the fish environment. Maps are available which show where the majority of this habitat is located.

The LOW Fishing Club practices “Catch and Release” and encourages all lot owners to do the same. The LOW Fishing Club maintains a creel report that is published weekly by e-mail to members. They request that fishing results be reported to them so that creel records can be kept to help with the fish management program. Each year, the fishing club sponsors a fishing tournament for the children and grandchildren of Lake of the Woods Association members. The tournament is usually held in May and takes place on the small pond at the entrance to Lake of the Woods. This is the only time of the year that fishing is allowed on that pond.

BOATING:

Powered boats, including sail watercraft with a single displacement hull and deck boats are limited to 21 feet or less in length, exclusive of motors; pontoon boats are limited to 25 feet or less in length overall. Watercraft equipped with a toilet of any type, including “port-a-potties’, are not allowed on the lakes. All boats must display the current annual decal indicating that the boat has been registered and applicable fees have been paid. See LOWA Regulations, Section X for complete description of rules for lake use.

Our main lake is a multi-use lake that makes it unique as swimming, boating and fishing requirements do not always go together. Weeds and undergrowth are good and needed for fish to survive but swimming and boating suffer from it. We use weed eating carp to control the weed growth and we stock feeder fish each year to supplement what would normally develop on its own with protective weeds. If you use your boat outside of LOW, be sure to thoroughly clean the trailer, the bilge, the motor and the outside of your boat to get rid of any possible remains of HYDRILLA or MUSSELS. These two pests are not welcome in LOW and we have to be vigilant to prevent them from accidentally being transported to our lakes.