Kannapolis Lake
Rowan County, North Carolina267 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 46 ft max depth
- Limited data
Kannapolis Lake in Rowan County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20 µg/L. Surface area: 267 acres.
- Max depth
- ~46 ft est.
- Area
- 267 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kannapolis Lake in Rowan 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 Kannapolis Lake are listed below.
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Kannapolis Lake is a 267-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rowan County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 46 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Rowan County, Kannapolis Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2021-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 20 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~46 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~14 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 267 acres |
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 Kannapolis 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.
Fishing Kannapolis Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Kannapolis Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Kannapolis Dam (completed 1940), built primarily for water supply on the Irish Buffalo Creek; earth-type dam, 40 ft tall and 830 ft long.
- Surface area
- 267 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,420 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,931 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 10.51 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Kannapolis
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00324 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Rowan County
Nearby Lakes in Rowan County
Frequently asked questions about Kannapolis Lake
Where is Kannapolis Lake?
- Kannapolis Lake is a lake in Rowan County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Kannapolis Lake?
- Kannapolis Lake in Rowan County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20 µg/L. Surface area: 267 acres.
Is Kannapolis Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Kannapolis Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Kannapolis Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 46 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 267 acres.
Explore Kannapolis Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 2 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 WQX
21NC03WQ29 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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)