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LakeQuality

John H Kerr Reservoir

Vance County, North CarolinaView mapDirections

C
Fair

Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.

Water temp
No reading
No gauge
Clarity
4.9 ft
Secchi · sampled 2024
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
No reading
Not enough history
  • Eutrophic
  • #1 of 1 in the county
  • Public access
  • Limited data

John H Kerr Reservoir in Vance County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.4 µg/L.

Clarity
4.9 ft
Type
Eutrophic
Public access
Yes
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John H Kerr Reservoir is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vance County, North Carolina. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

What John H Kerr Reservoir is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Boat launch5 documented ramps

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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Get alerts for John H Kerr Reservoir

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.4 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)4.9 ftNot graded
Phosphorus30 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)12.4 µg/LFair
Trophic State Index (TSI)54Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Recreation & Access

5
Boat Landings
Yes
Public 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

Fishing John H Kerr Reservoir

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Vance County

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. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for John H Kerr Reservoir?

John H Kerr Reservoir in Vance County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). 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?

The C is nutrients and algae, 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.

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 WQX21NC03WQ100 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)

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

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory