Lake Burlington
Alamance County, North Carolina757 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- Limited data
Lake Burlington in Alamance County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Surface area: 757 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Area
- 757 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
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Stays near Lake Burlington
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Burlington in Alamance 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 Burlington are listed below.
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Watch Lake Burlington’s letter
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Lake Burlington is a 757-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Alamance County, North Carolina. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Alamance County, Lake Burlington ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2023-09-06. 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. Lake Burlington is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 28.5 µg/L. TSI 61. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 757 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Burlington, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake Burlington
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Burlington is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Cammack Dam, built primarily for other on the Stony Creek; concrete-type dam, 61 ft tall and 848 ft long.
- Surface area
- 757 ac
- Normal storage
- 23,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 36,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 46 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Burlington
All listed purposes: Other;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00739 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Burlington is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NC16-14-(5.5)a · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.97 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Alamance County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Burlington holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Alamance County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Burlington
Where is Lake Burlington?
- Lake Burlington is a lake in Alamance 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 Burlington?
- Lake Burlington in Alamance County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Surface area: 757 acres.
Is Lake Burlington safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Burlington is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Lake Burlington across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
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Where this data comes from
80 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ80 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database