Kernersville Lake
Forsyth County, North Carolina40 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 33 ft max depth
- Limited data
Kernersville Lake in Forsyth County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23 µg/L. Surface area: 40 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.8 ft
- Max depth
- ~33 ft est.
- Area
- 40 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
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Stays near Kernersville Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kernersville Lake in Forsyth 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 Kernersville Lake are listed below.
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Kernersville Lake is a 40-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Forsyth County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Forsyth County, Kernersville Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-10-15. 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)
Very murky, less than 2.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 23 µg/L. TSI 59. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 23 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 40 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 Kernersville 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 Kernersville Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Kernersville Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Kernersville Water Supply Dam (completed 1952), built primarily for water supply on the Belews Creek; earth-type dam, 20 ft tall and 650 ft long.
- Surface area
- 40 ac
- Normal storage
- 280 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Town of Kernersville
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00315 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.29 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Forsyth County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Kernersville Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Forsyth County
Frequently asked questions about Kernersville Lake
Where is Kernersville Lake?
- Kernersville Lake is a lake in Forsyth 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 Kernersville Lake?
- Kernersville Lake in Forsyth County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23 µg/L. Surface area: 40 acres.
Is Kernersville Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Kernersville Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Kernersville Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 33 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 40 acres.
Explore Kernersville Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 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
21NC03WQ20 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 (1)
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)