Lake Benson
Wake County, North Carolina463 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- #12 of 14 in the county
- 43 ft max depth
Lake Benson in Wake County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38 µg/L. Surface area: 463 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~43 ft est.
- Area
- 463 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Benson
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Benson in Wake 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 Benson are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Benson
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Watch Lake Benson’s letter
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Lake Benson is a 463-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wake County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 13 other monitored lakes in Wake County, Lake Benson ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 38 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 50 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 38 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~43 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 463 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 Lake Benson.
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 Lake Benson
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Benson is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Benson Dam (completed 1952), built primarily for other on the Swift Creek; earth-type dam, 26 ft tall and 400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 463 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,070 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 7,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 66 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department
All listed purposes: Other;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00861 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 14 lakes in Wake County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Benson holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wake County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Benson
Where is Lake Benson?
- Lake Benson is a lake in Wake County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Benson?
- Lake Benson in Wake County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38 µg/L. Surface area: 463 acres.
Is Lake Benson safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Benson?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Benson, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 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 463 acres.
Explore Lake Benson across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
82 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ82 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- 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)