Gaston County Lake Quality
North Carolina, 5 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Gaston County has 5 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. Gaston County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Mountain Island Lake (B); the most-stressed is Catawba Creek Lake (C).
Quick Answers for Gaston County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Mountain Island Lake — or check the official North Carolina fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Gaston County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mountain Island Lake | B | - | 20 µg/L |
| 2 | Bessemer City Lake | B | - | 20 µg/L |
| 3 | Lake Wylie | C | - | 30 µg/L |
| 4 | Catawba Creek Lake | C | 3.6 ft | 35 µg/L |
| 5 | S Fork Catawba Riv Lake | C | 3.9 ft | 40 µg/L |
Other Counties in North Carolina
See how Gaston 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 Gaston County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.