Moore County Lake Quality
North Carolina, 3 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Moore 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. Moore 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.
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. Pages Lake (B) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Moore County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Pages Lake — or check the official North Carolina fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Moore County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pages Lake | B | - | 25 µg/L |
| 2 | Old Town Reservoir | C | 6.9 ft | - |
| 3 | Carthage City Lake | C | 4.9 ft | - |
Other Counties in North Carolina
See how Moore 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 Moore County
Top-rated places to stay near Moore County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.