Back Creek Lake
Randolph County, North Carolina236 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #2 of 5 in the county
- 37 ft max depth
Back Creek Lake in Randolph County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27 µg/L. Surface area: 236 acres.
- Max depth
- ~37 ft est.
- Area
- 236 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Back Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Back Creek Lake in Randolph County, North Carolina — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Back Creek Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Back Creek Lake
Prices for Sep 4–6, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at North Carolina’s top lakes →
Watch Back Creek Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Back Creek Lake is a 236-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Randolph County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 37 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Randolph County, Back Creek Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2022-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Back Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 27 µg/L. TSI 60. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 40 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 27 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~37 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~17 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 236 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. North Carolina has not published bathymetry for Back Creek Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Back Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -10 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Back Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lucas Lake Dam (completed 1947), built primarily for other on the Back Creek; concrete-type dam, 64 ft tall and 375 ft long.
- Surface area
- 236 ac
- Normal storage
- 5,700 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,840 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 15.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Asheboro
All listed purposes: Other;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00453 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.93 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Back Creek Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NC13-2-3-3-(0.7) · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.45 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 5 lakes in Randolph County
Nearby Lakes in Randolph County
Frequently asked questions about Back Creek Lake
Where is Back Creek Lake?
- Back Creek Lake is a lake in Randolph County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Back Creek Lake?
- Back Creek Lake in Randolph County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27 µg/L. Surface area: 236 acres.
Is Back Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Back Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Back Creek Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Back Creek Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 37 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 236 acres.
Explore Back Creek Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More North Carolina Lake Rankings
Ranked by overall water quality grade
Top 25 by Secchi water clarity
Grade A/B + low algae filter
Panfish-rich, public access
Full state directory
Other Grade D Lakes in North Carolina
Eutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
93 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ93 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)