Vance County Lake Quality
North Carolina, 3 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Vance County holds 3 monitored lakes. With a sample that small the county-level summary describes those specific waters, not necessarily every water body in the county. 1 of those lake carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county average is C — the middle of the rubric, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.
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. John H Kerr Reservoir (C) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Vance County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for John H Kerr Reservoir — or check the official North Carolina fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Vance County
3 lakes · 1 graded, 2 not rated1 graded lake · 2 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CJohn H Kerr ReservoirVance | C | 4.9 ft | 30 µg/L | 12.4 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| NRAyscues PondVance | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRFox ReservoirVance | 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 Vance 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.