Harris Lake
Wake County, North CarolinaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #3 of 14 in the county
- 47 ft max depth
- Public access
Harris Lake in Wake County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 43 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~47 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Harris Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Harris 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 Harris Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Harris Lake
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Harris Lake → · more North Carolina lake trips
Watch Harris Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Harris Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wake County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 47 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 13 other monitored lakes in Wake County, Harris Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-10-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Harris Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 43 µg/L. TSI 67. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 90 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 43 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~47 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~17 ft est. |
| 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 Harris 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
- Cross Point LandingPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Harris Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.1 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 14 lakes in Wake County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Harris Lake 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.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wake County
Frequently asked questions about Harris Lake
Where is Harris Lake?
- Harris 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 Harris Lake?
- Harris Lake in Wake County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 43 µg/L.
Is Harris Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Harris Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Harris Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 47 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Harris Lake?
- Harris Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cross Point Landing. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Harris 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
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
Hypereutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
160 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ160 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- 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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory