John H Kerr Reservoir
Vance County, North CarolinaView mapDirections
NC DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for John H Kerr Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
John H Kerr Reservoir in Vance County, North Carolina has water-quality measurements published by NC DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.4 µg/L.
John H Kerr Reservoir is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vance County, North Carolina. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-10-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
John H Kerr Reservoir has 5 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around John H Kerr Reservoir, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What John H Kerr Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch5 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether John H Kerr Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for John H Kerr Reservoir
These are the measurements NC DEQ publishes for John H Kerr Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.4 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 30µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.4µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about John H Kerr Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Flemingtown LandingPublic
- HiberniaPublic
- Bullocksville ParkPublic
- JC Cooper Boat RampPublic
- Steele Creek MarinaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near John H Kerr Reservoir
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Fishing John H Kerr Reservoir
Nearby Lakes in Vance County
Frequently asked questions about John H Kerr Reservoir
Where is John H Kerr Reservoir?
- John H Kerr Reservoir is a lake in Vance County, North Carolina. Its water-quality measurements are published by NC DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of John H Kerr Reservoir?
- John H Kerr Reservoir in Vance County, North Carolina has water-quality measurements published by NC DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.4 µg/L.
Is John H Kerr Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on John H Kerr Reservoir?
- John H Kerr Reservoir has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Flemingtown Landing, Hibernia, Bullocksville Park, JC Cooper Boat Ramp, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at John H Kerr Reservoir?
- John H Kerr Reservoir has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by North Carolina's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore John H Kerr Reservoir across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
100 measurements from 5 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
21NC03WQ100 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 (5)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory