Difficulty
Unrated
Viz (last reported 109256h ago)
Max Depth
Unknown
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Mt. Storm Lake (Vepco)
This lake is the cooling "pond" (1,200 acres) for a coal fired electric generating plant. The water temps range from the upper 80s in the summer to the 50s in the winter - provided the generators are pumping. The max depth is around 130 feet if you follow the stream bed, There are several platforms for training and had lines connecting them. Not much for amenities, just a couple of port-a-johns. No local dive shop, so bring everything you need. The parking lot is huge and the entry isn't too bad, down a short path. I've been there several times and the vis wasn't all that great - 10 to 20 feet, but water temps in the winter make up for it! This is an altitude dive for most of us at around 3,200 feet so plan accordingly.
US Rt 50 to Mt. Storm, WV WV Rt 42 South to WV Rt 93 about 4 miles WV Rt 93 West to Mt. Storm Lake about 1.5 miles before power plant on left side
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shore
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Eric from Winchester
Jul 11, 2006, 12:00 AM
scuba
I did my open water dives here, and have done some refresher work here as well. There is not much in the way of aquatic life: a few catfish, and sporadic vegetation. However, the visibility has always been 20-30 feet when I have been there in the winter. I have heard that the spring and summer are worse due to boat activity. It is an altitude dive for those working on an Advanced Open Water or Altitude specialty course. All in all, it isn't a bad place to dive if you are looking to get wet and you would like to go without a wetsuit in the winter! One note of caution, I, along with a couple buddies, did get hit with hypoxia there. As with any altitude dive, take your time and rest often!
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