Badin Lake
Montgomery County, North CarolinaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #3 of 3 in the county
- 72 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Badin Lake in Montgomery County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~72 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Badin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Badin Lake in Montgomery 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 Badin Lake are listed below.
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Badin Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Montgomery County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 72 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Montgomery County, Badin Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2021-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Badin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch5 documented ramps
- Camping3 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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. Badin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 20 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~72 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~26 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 Badin 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.
Recreation & Access
- Circle DrivePublic
- LakemontPublic
- Morrow Mountain Boat LaunchPublic
- Badin Lake Boat RampPublic
- ArrowheadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Badin Lake
- Badin Lake Campground2.6 km
- Badin Lake Group Campground3.0 km
- Arrowhead Campground3.0 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Badin Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Badin Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NC12-(124.5)d3 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.5 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Montgomery County
Nearby Lakes in Montgomery County
Frequently asked questions about Badin Lake
Where is Badin Lake?
- Badin Lake is a lake in Montgomery 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 Badin Lake?
- Badin Lake in Montgomery County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20 µg/L.
Is Badin Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Badin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Badin Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Badin Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 72 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Badin Lake?
- Badin Lake has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Circle Drive, Lakemont, Morrow Mountain Boat Launch, Badin Lake Boat Ramp, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Badin Lake?
- Badin Lake has 3 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Badin Lake Campground, Badin Lake Group Campground, Arrowhead Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Badin 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
57 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ57 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles