Hyco Lake
Person County, North Carolina4,015 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 54 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Hyco Lake in Person County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12 µg/L. Surface area: 4015 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~54 ft est.
- Area
- 4,015 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Hyco Lake’s letter
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Hyco Lake is a 4,015-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Person County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 54 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Person County, Hyco Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-10-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Hyco Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water4,015 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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~54 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~35 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 4,015 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 Hyco 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
- Person Caswell Recreation ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Hyco Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Hyco Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Hyco Dam (completed 1963), built primarily for recreation on the Hyco River; earth-type dam, 68 ft tall and 1,800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 4,015 ac
- Normal storage
- 78,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 169,501 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 190 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Duke Energy Corporation
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00656 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Person County
Nearby Lakes in Person County
Frequently asked questions about Hyco Lake
Where is Hyco Lake?
- Hyco Lake is a lake in Person 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 Hyco Lake?
- Hyco Lake in Person County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12 µg/L. Surface area: 4015 acres.
Is Hyco Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Hyco Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Hyco Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 54 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 4015 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Hyco Lake?
- Hyco Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Person Caswell Recreation Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Hyco Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
1.8 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
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
80 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 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
21NC03WQ80 samples · 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