Cane Creek Reservoir
Orange County, North CarolinaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #4 of 7 in the county
- 48 ft max depth
Cane Creek Reservoir in Orange County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~48 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cane Creek Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cane Creek Reservoir in Orange 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 Cane Creek Reservoir are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Cane Creek 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 Cane Creek Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Cane Creek Reservoir is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Orange County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 48 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Orange County, Cane Creek Reservoir ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-02-22. 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19.5 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~48 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~19 ft est. |
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 Cane Creek 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 Cane Creek Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.04 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.05 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.53 µg/L/yr | 4 |
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 7 lakes in Orange County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Cane Creek Reservoir holds Grade D. 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 Orange County
Frequently asked questions about Cane Creek Reservoir
Where is Cane Creek Reservoir?
- Cane Creek Reservoir is a lake in Orange 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 Cane Creek Reservoir?
- Cane Creek Reservoir in Orange County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.5 µg/L.
Is Cane Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Cane Creek Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Cane Creek Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 48 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Cane Creek Reservoir 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
174 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS North Carolina Water Science Center
USGS-NC114 samples · 2020–2024 - North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ60 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk method
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Pigments, algae, EPA445.0 w/ACTN
- Plant pigments, sonication & 445
- HACH 2100Q, NTRU
- WSSSOP
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)