Buncombe County Lake Quality
North Carolina, 3 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Buncombe County has 3 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. The county-wide average lands at B — solid water quality with most lakes carrying clear summer transparency and low-to-moderate phosphorus.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Burnett Reservoir (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Buncombe County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Burnett Reservoir — or check the official North Carolina fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Buncombe County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burnett Reservoir | A | - | - |
| 2 | Lake Julian | B | - | 30 µg/L |
| 3 | Beetree Reservoir | B | - | - |
Other Counties in North Carolina
See how Buncombe County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 12 states.
Where to stay near Buncombe County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.