If you’ve done any research or visited Lake Anna you will probably hear the terms, private, public, warm, and cold referring to certain sections of the lake. There are advantages and disadvantages to each area of the lake, so let’s discuss where each of these are and what they could mean during your home or land search at Lake Anna.
First, let’s dispel the myth that you can’t enter the private side. Public and private refer to the waters of Lake Anna, you can still drive around the private side communities unless they require gate access. The public side has marina access to the public, while the water on the private side can only be accessed by private ramps within housing communities. You cannot reach one side from the other on a boat due to the 3 dikes that separate the sides. That means the private side sees less boat activity which owners enjoy. The downside is that there is no water access to the public restaurants or gas stations for boaters so you will need to bring gas to your boat if you live on the private side.
The red lines indicate the locations of the 3 dikes. The land to the southwest is the private/warm side while the land to the northeast is the public/cold side. The temperatures refer to the increase in water temperatures due to the water that cools the turbines of the power plant. As the water cools the turbines, the water itself is warmed in the lagoon and some of the heat is transferred to the lake water. That can mean a prolonged boating season for the warm side of the lake closest to the plant.
Housing prices tend to be higher on the public side of the lake currently as commercial development attracts homeowners and tourists alike. Due to the public park and marinas you will find more boating activity on the public side of the lake. Of course the public side is also much larger so there are more Lake Anna waterfront homes available for sale. As you can see there are benefits to both sides of the lake depending on what you are looking for in your Lake Anna home!