In 1968, Virginia Electric and Power Company (now Dominion) purchased 18,000 acres (73 km2) of farmlands in three counties along the North Anna and Pamunkey rivers.

Two smaller 8.5-foot (3 m) wide and tall gates on the outer edges of the spillway section maintain normal discharges.

[4] The dam's hydroelectric power plant is located on the west side of the spillway and is supplied with water via a 5-foot-diameter (2 m) penstock.

[5][6] Fish species present in Lake Anna include largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), redear sunfish (L. microlophus), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), white catfish (Ameiurus catus),[1] yellow bullhead (A. natalis), brown bullhead (A. nebulosus),[7] black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), white perch (Morone americana),[1] American gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum),[7] threadfin shad (D. petenense), blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), creek chubsucker (Erimyzon oblongus) and white sucker (Catostomus commersonii).

Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus),[1] grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)[7] and saugeye may be present due to past introduction.

[1] As of 2017, the exotic northern snakehead (Channa argus) has established a self-sustaining population in Lake Anna.

[8] Species of submerged aquatic vegetation in the lake include Hydrilla verticillata, southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis) and Chara sp.