Henderson County Lake Quality
North Carolina, 1 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Only 1 lakes in Henderson County carry an active grade. The county-level summary is therefore representative of those specific lakes, not necessarily of every water body in the county. On average, Henderson 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 Summit (D) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Henderson County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Lake Summit — or check the official North Carolina fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Henderson County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Summit | D | 7.2 ft | 50 µg/L |
Other Counties in North Carolina
See how Henderson County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 36 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Where to stay near Henderson County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.