Bass Lake
Wake County, North Carolina59 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- #10 of 14 in the county
Bass Lake in Wake County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31 µg/L. Surface area: 58.6 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Area
- 59 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Stays near Bass Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bass Lake in Wake 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 Bass Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bass Lake
Prices for Sep 4–6, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Bass Lake is a 59-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wake County, North Carolina. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 13 other monitored lakes in Wake County, Bass Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-05. 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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 31 µg/L. TSI 63. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 50 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 31 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 59 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Bass Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Bass Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +6.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bass Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bass Lake Dam (completed 1900), built primarily for recreation on the Basal Creek; earth-type dam, 23 ft tall and 580 ft long.
- Surface area
- 58.6 ac
- Normal storage
- 760 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,390 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 8.94 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Town of Holly Springs Parks & Recreation
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00934 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 14 lakes in Wake County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Bass Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wake County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
Where is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake is a lake in Wake County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake in Wake County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31 µg/L. Surface area: 58.6 acres.
Is Bass Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Bass Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
56 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ56 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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.