Lake Adger
Polk County, North Carolina438 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Adger in Polk County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.2 µg/L. Surface area: 438 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~35 ft est.
- Area
- 438 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Adger
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Adger in Polk 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 Lake Adger are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Adger
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Watch Lake Adger’s letter
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Lake Adger is a 438-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 35 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Adger is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.2 µg/L. TSI 56. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 50 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~35 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~27 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 438 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 Lake Adger.
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
- Lake AdgerPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Adger
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.25 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Adger is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Turner Shoals Dam (completed 1925), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Green River; concrete-type dam, 87 ft tall and 665 ft long.
- Surface area
- 438 ac
- Normal storage
- 13,776 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 16,530 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 138 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Polk County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00208 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Adger
Where is Lake Adger?
- Lake Adger is a lake in Polk 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 Lake Adger?
- Lake Adger in Polk County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.2 µg/L. Surface area: 438 acres.
Is Lake Adger safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Adger?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Adger, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 35 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 438 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Adger?
- Lake Adger has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Adger. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Adger across LakeQuality
7.4 mi away · 404 ft
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
Planning a trip around Blue Ridge?
Lake Adger is about 22 miles from Blue Ridge Parkway. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Blue Ridge →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 D Lakes in North Carolina
Eutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
91 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ91 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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