Water column chlorophyll a was analyzed from 2014 to 2021 in seven freshwater reservoirs in southwestern Virginia (VA), USA, and one freshwater lake in Sunapee, New Hampshire (NH). These water bodies are: Beaverdam Reservoir (Vinton, VA), Carvins Cove Reservoir (Roanoke, VA), Claytor Lake (Pulaski, VA), Falling Creek Reservoir (Vinton, VA), Gatewood Reservoir (Pulaski, VA), Smith Mountain Lake (Bedford, VA), Spring Hollow Reservoir (Salem, VA), and Lake Sunapee (Sunapee, NH). Beaverdam, Carvins Cove, Falling Creek, and Spring Hollow Reservoirs are owned and operated by the Western Virginia Water Authority as primary or secondary drinking water sources for Roanoke, Virginia; Gatewood Reservoir is a drinking water source for the Town of Pulaski, Virginia; and Smith Mountain Lake is jointly treated by Bedford Regional Water Authority and Western Virginia Water Authority as a drinking water source for Franklin County, Virginia. Claytor Lake is utilized for hydroelectric power generation by Appalachian Power Company. Lake Sunapee is a glacial lake known for its oligotrophic (clear-water) properties. The dataset consists of depth profiles of chlorophyll a samples generally measured at the deepest site of each reservoir adjacent to the dam. The water column samples were collected approximately fortnightly from March-April, and weekly from May-October at Falling Creek Reservoir and Beaverdam Reservoir, approximately fortnightly from May-August in most years at Carvins Cove Reservoir, approximately fortnightly from May-August in Gatewood and Spring Hollow Reservoirs from 2014-2016, approximately fortnightly from May-August of 2014 in Smith Mountain Lake, sporadically from May-August of 2014 in Claytor Lake, and weekly from June-August of 2021 in Lake Sunapee. Additional chlorophyll a samples were collected at multiple upstream and inflow sites along tributaries to Beaverdam and Falling Creek Reservoirs in summer 2019. The water samples collected were analyzed for both pheophytin and chlorophyll a to quantify and correct for degraded phytoplankton within the sample.