Guilford County Lake Quality
North Carolina, 13 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
Guilford County holds 13 monitored lakes. With a sample that small the county-level summary describes those specific waters, not necessarily every water body in the county. 5 of those lakes carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. On average, Guilford County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
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. Lake Mackintosh (D) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Guilford County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Lake Mackintosh — or check the official North Carolina fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Guilford County
13 lakes · 5 graded, 8 not rated5 graded lakes · 8 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DLake MackintoshGuilford | D | 3.9 ft | 30 µg/L | 15.5 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 2 | DHigh Point LakeGuilford | D | 3 ft | 30 µg/L | 29.5 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 3 | DLake BrandtGuilford | D | 3 ft | 30 µg/L | 27.5 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 4 | DLake TownsendGuilford | D | 3.5 ft | 30 µg/L | 28 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 5 | DLake HigginsGuilford | D | 3 ft | 30 µg/L | 29 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRHardys Mill PondGuilford | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRichland LakeGuilford | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBuffalo LakeGuilford | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRKimesville LakeGuilford | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLynnwood LakeGuilford | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NROak Hollow LakeGuilford | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHigh Point LakeGuilford | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLake BrandtGuilford | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
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Other Counties in North Carolina
See how Guilford County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario and Québec), and 38 other country hubs..
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.