Cleanest Lakes in North Carolina
Lake Waccamaw in Columbus County leads the rankings with a water quality grade of A. Below are the top 50 cleanest monitored lakes in North Carolina, ranked by EPA water quality score.
Ranked List
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Waccamaw | Columbus | A | - | 30 µg/L | 3.6 µg/L |
| 2 | Merchants Millpond | Gates | B | 1.6 ft | 270 µg/L | 8.2 µg/L |
| 3 | Catawba Riv Lake | Mecklenburg | C | 6.6 ft | 20 µg/L | 2.3 µg/L |
| 4 | Belews Lake | Stokes | C | 11.6 ft | 30 µg/L | 3.5 µg/L |
| 5 | Lake Ben Johnson | Orange | C | 3.3 ft | 50 µg/L | 6.5 µg/L |
| 6 | Corporation Lake | Orange | C | 2.2 ft | 50 µg/L | 11 µg/L |
| 7 | Phelps Lake | Washington | C | 3.6 ft | 50 µg/L | 6.2 µg/L |
| 8 | West Fk Eno R Reservoir | Orange | D | 3.8 ft | 35.5 µg/L | 14.9 µg/L |
| 9 | Cane Creek Reservoir | Orange | D | 3.6 ft | 30 µg/L | 19.5 µg/L |
| 10 | B Everett Jordan Lake | Chatham | D | 1.8 ft | 117 µg/L | 22.9 µg/L |
| 11 | Catawba Creek Lake | Gaston | D | 3.6 ft | 35 µg/L | 18.5 µg/L |
| 12 | S Fork Catawba Riv Lake | Gaston | D | 3.9 ft | 40 µg/L | 13 µg/L |
| 13 | Kerr Scott Reservoir | Wilkes | D | 4.9 ft | 30 µg/L | 17 µg/L |
| 14 | Farmer Lake | Caswell | D | 2.1 ft | 30 µg/L | 27 µg/L |
| 15 | Wiggins Mill Reservoir | Wilson | D | 2.6 ft | 60 µg/L | 29 µg/L |
| 16 | Lake Butner | Granville | D | 5.4 ft | 40 µg/L | 11 µg/L |
| 17 | Kings Mountain Reservoir | Cleveland | D | 6.9 ft | 50 µg/L | 11 µg/L |
| 18 | Lake Adger | Polk | D | 3.9 ft | 50 µg/L | 7.2 µg/L |
| 19 | Lake Johnson | Wake | D | 3 ft | 40 µg/L | 23 µg/L |
| 20 | West Fork Eno River Reservoir | Orange | D | 3.8 ft | 50 µg/L | 30 µg/L |
| 21 | Lake Raleigh | Wake | D | 2.5 ft | 45 µg/L | 29.5 µg/L |
| 22 | Toisnot Reservoir | Wilson | D | 2.3 ft | 90 µg/L | 18 µg/L |
| 23 | Back Creek Lake | Randolph | D | - | 40 µg/L | 27 µg/L |
| 24 | University Lake | Orange | F | 2.3 ft | 40 µg/L | 33.3 µg/L |
| 25 | B E Jordan Lake | Chatham | F | 2.6 ft | 40.5 µg/L | 35.5 µg/L |
| 26 | Little River Reservoir | Durham | F | 3.1 ft | 50 µg/L | 31 µg/L |
| 27 | Jordan Lake | Chatham | F | 2.2 ft | 50 µg/L | 46 µg/L |
| 28 | Lake Michie | Durham | F | 2.6 ft | 50 µg/L | 36 µg/L |
| 29 | Harris Lake | Wake | F | 2.5 ft | 90 µg/L | 43 µg/L |
| 30 | Falls of the Neuse Reservoir | Wake | F | 2.2 ft | 40 µg/L | 36 µg/L |
| 31 | Lake Roxboro | Caswell | F | 3 ft | 30 µg/L | 33 µg/L |
| 32 | Lake Wheeler | Wake | F | 2.8 ft | 50 µg/L | 35 µg/L |
| 33 | Lake Crabtree | Wake | F | 1.1 ft | 85 µg/L | 35 µg/L |
| 34 | Buckhorn Reservoir | Wilson | F | 2.3 ft | 50 µg/L | 31 µg/L |
| 35 | Lake Wilson | Wilson | F | 2.1 ft | 100 µg/L | 43.5 µg/L |
| 36 | Lake Rogers | Granville | F | 1.4 ft | 105 µg/L | 60.5 µg/L |
| 37 | Sycamore Lake | Wake | F | 2 ft | 50 µg/L | 32 µg/L |
| 38 | Lake Orange | Orange | F | 2.9 ft | 50 µg/L | 38 µg/L |
| 39 | Apex Reservoir | Wake | F | 1.8 ft | 50 µg/L | 35.5 µg/L |
| 40 | Big Lake | Wake | F | 2.3 ft | 50 µg/L | 37 µg/L |
| 41 | Bass Lake | Wake | F | 2.5 ft | 50 µg/L | 31 µg/L |
| 42 | Beaverdam Lake | Wake | F | 2.5 ft | 45 µg/L | 33 µg/L |
| 43 | Lake Benson | Wake | F | 2.3 ft | 50 µg/L | 38 µg/L |
| 44 | Reedy Creek Lake | Wake | F | 2 ft | 65 µg/L | 32.5 µg/L |
| 45 | Town Creek Lake | Rowan | F | - | 60 µg/L | 36 µg/L |
| 46 | Robeson Creek Lake | Chatham | F | - | 60 µg/L | 31 µg/L |
| 47 | Lake Reese | Randolph | F | - | 40 µg/L | 31 µg/L |
| 48 | Siler City Water Supply Lake Number Three | Chatham | NR | - | - | - |
| 49 | Lake Burlington | Alamance | NR | - | - | - |
| 50 | Quaker Creek Reservoir | Alamance | NR | - | - | - |
More Answers for North Carolina
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