Coddle Creek Reservoir
Cabarrus County, North Carolina1,300 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- #3 of 3 in the county
- 37 ft max depth
- Limited data
Coddle Creek Reservoir in Cabarrus County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32 µg/L. Surface area: 1300 acres.
- Max depth
- ~37 ft est.
- Area
- 1,300 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Coddle Creek Reservoir in Cabarrus 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 Coddle Creek Reservoir are listed below.
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Watch Coddle Creek Reservoir’s letter
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Coddle Creek Reservoir is a 1,300-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Cabarrus County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 37 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Cabarrus County, Coddle Creek Reservoir ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2021-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Coddle Creek Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Big water1,300 acres
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Coddle Creek Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 32 µg/L. TSI 59. 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) | 32 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~37 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~25 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,300 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 Coddle 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 Coddle Creek Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Coddle Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Don T. Howell Dam (completed 1993), built primarily for water supply on the Coddle Creek; earth-type dam, 55 ft tall and 2,365 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,300 ac
- Max storage
- 36,400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 47.6 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Cabarrus County Water & Sewer Authority
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC04901 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Coddle Creek Reservoir 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 NC13-17-6-(1.5)b · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.35 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Cabarrus County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Coddle Creek Reservoir holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Cabarrus County
Frequently asked questions about Coddle Creek Reservoir
Where is Coddle Creek Reservoir?
- Coddle Creek Reservoir is a lake in Cabarrus 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 Coddle Creek Reservoir?
- Coddle Creek Reservoir in Cabarrus County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32 µg/L. Surface area: 1300 acres.
Is Coddle Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Coddle Creek Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Coddle Creek Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Coddle Creek Reservoir, 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 1300 acres.
Explore Coddle 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
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor 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 F Lakes in North Carolina
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Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 3 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
21NC03WQ46 samples · 2021
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)