Where is High Rock Lake?

High Rock Lake is a lake in Davidson County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

Are there boat ramps on High Rock Lake?

High Rock Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bringle Ferry, Dutch Second, Southmount Abbotts Creek Boat Access, Buddle Creek Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.

High Rock Lake

Davidson County, North Carolina15,180 acresView map Directions

Algae-prone

Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.

↓ down from D at the last regrade

Water temp

No gauge

Clarity

No sample

Level

No gauge

Trend

Not enough history

Hypereutrophic
#2 of 2 in the county
Public access
Limited data

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

High Rock Lake in Davidson County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 41.5 µg/L. Surface area: 15180 acres.

Area: 15,180 acres
Type: Hypereutrophic
Public access: Yes

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Stays near High Rock Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near High Rock Lake in Davidson 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 High Rock Lake are listed below.

Top-rated places to stay near High Rock Lake

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High Rock Lake is a 15,180-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Davidson County, North Carolina. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Davidson County, High Rock Lake ranks #2 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2021-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

What High Rock Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch4 documented ramps
Big water15,180 acres

Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited 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. High Rock Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.

Get alerts for High Rock Lake →

Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)

No clarity data. Phosphorus 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 41.5 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	No recent samples
Phosphorus	50 µg/L	Poor
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	41.5 µg/L	Poor
Trophic State Index (TSI)	64	Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	15,180 acres
Public Access	Yes

No bathymetric survey has been published for High Rock Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Bringle FerryPublic
Dutch SecondPublic
Southmount Abbotts Creek Boat AccessPublic
Buddle Creek Boat RampPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Fishing High Rock Lake

→ High Rock Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

High Rock Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the High Rock (completed 1927), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Yadkin River; gravity-type dam, 96 ft tall and 936 ft long.

Surface area: 15,180 ac
Normal storage: 248,800 ac-ft
Max storage: 287,000 ac-ft
Drainage area: 3,980 sq mi
Hazard class: High
Owner: Cube Yadkin Generation LLC

All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation;Water Supply.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC06521 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

High Rock Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthpH / acidity

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NC12-(114)a · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.59 km)

County Ranking

Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Davidson County

Nearby Lakes in Davidson County

NRCobles Reservoir—View →NRCity Lake—View →FLake Thom-A-LexHypereutrophic17.8 miView →NRLake Tom-A-Lex—View →

Frequently asked questions about High Rock Lake

Where is High Rock Lake?: High Rock Lake is a lake in Davidson 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 High Rock Lake?: High Rock Lake in Davidson County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 41.5 µg/L. Surface area: 15180 acres.
Is High Rock Lake safe to swim in?: The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. High Rock Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on High Rock Lake?: High Rock Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bringle Ferry, Dutch Second, Southmount Abbotts Creek Boat Access, Buddle Creek Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.

Explore High Rock Lake across LakeQuality

Wakesurfing on High Rock Lake

Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules

Elevated Wake Park

12.9 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

North Carolina Lake Trips

Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade

Hypereutrophic Lakes

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

The State of North Carolina's Lakes

North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked

More North Carolina Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in North Carolina

Ranked by overall water quality grade

Clearest lakes in North Carolina

Top 25 by Secchi water clarity

Best swimming lakes in North Carolina

Grade A/B + low algae filter

Family fishing lakes in North Carolina

Panfish-rich, public access

All North Carolina lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade F Lakes in North Carolina

Town Creek Lake

Rowan County · Algae-prone

Lake Reese

Randolph County · Algae-prone

Coddle Creek Reservoir

Cabarrus County · Algae-prone

Sandy Creek Reservoir

Randolph County · 2.5 ft

Lake Twitty

Union County · Algae-prone

Lake Hampton

Yadkin County · Algae-prone

Hypereutrophic Lakes in North Carolina

Town Creek Lake Lake Reese Coddle Creek Reservoir Sandy Creek Reservoir

Where this data comes from

128 measurements from 8 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 WQX21NC03WQ128 samples · 2021

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry
445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method

Monitoring station identifiers (8)

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.