Falls Lake
Montgomery County, North Carolina204 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- 51 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Falls Lake in Montgomery County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.3 µg/L. Surface area: 204 acres.
- Max depth
- ~51 ft est.
- Area
- 204 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Falls Lake is a 204-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Montgomery County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 51 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Montgomery County, Falls Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2021-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Falls Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping2 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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Falls Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.3 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~51 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 204 acres |
| 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 Falls 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
Public campgrounds near Falls Lake
- Morrow Mountain Group Campground2.6 km
- Morrow Mountain Family Camping Site3.6 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 Falls Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Falls Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Yadkin Falls (completed 1919), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Yadkin; gravity-type dam, 120 ft tall and 748 ft long.
- Surface area
- 204 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,840 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,875 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4,190 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Cube Yadkin Generation LLC
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00548 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Falls Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NC12-(136.3) · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.67 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Montgomery County
Nearby Lakes in Montgomery County
Frequently asked questions about Falls Lake
Where is Falls Lake?
- Falls Lake is a lake in Montgomery County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Falls Lake?
- Falls Lake in Montgomery County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.3 µg/L. Surface area: 204 acres.
Is Falls Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Falls Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Falls Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Falls Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 51 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 204 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Falls Lake?
- Falls Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Morrow Mountain Group Campground, Morrow Mountain Family Camping Site. 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 Falls 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 C Lakes in North Carolina
Eutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 2 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
21NC03WQ24 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- 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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles