Burnett Reservoir
Buncombe County, North Carolina334 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 28 ft max depth
- Limited data
Burnett Reservoir in Buncombe County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Surface area: 334 acres.
- Max depth
- ~28 ft est.
- Area
- 334 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Burnett Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Burnett Reservoir in Buncombe 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Burnett Reservoir
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 Burnett Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Burnett Reservoir is a 334-acre mesotrophic lake in Buncombe County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 28 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Buncombe County, Burnett Reservoir ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2022-09-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 4.1 µg/L. TSI 44. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 334 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 Burnett Reservoir.
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 Burnett Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Burnett Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the North Fork Reservoir Dam (completed 1954), built primarily for water supply on the N. Fork Swannanoa River; earth-type dam, 134 ft tall and 1,309 ft long.
- Surface area
- 334 ac
- Normal storage
- 17,600 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 21,700 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 21.94 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Asheville Water Resources Department
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00288 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.99 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Buncombe County
Nearby Lakes in Buncombe County
Frequently asked questions about Burnett Reservoir
Where is Burnett Reservoir?
- Burnett Reservoir is a lake in Buncombe County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Burnett Reservoir?
- Burnett Reservoir in Buncombe County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Surface area: 334 acres.
Is Burnett Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Burnett Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Burnett Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 28 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 334 acres.
Explore Burnett Reservoir across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 17.2 mi, nearest Glassmine Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Blue Ridge?
Burnett Reservoir is about 11 miles from Blue Ridge Parkway. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Blue Ridge →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 A Lakes in North Carolina
Mesotrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 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
21NC03WQ14 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- 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.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)