Lake Gaston
Northampton County, North Carolina20,300 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 62 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Gaston in Northampton County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L. Surface area: 20300 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.4 ft
- Max depth
- ~62 ft est.
- Area
- 20,300 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Gaston’s letter
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Lake Gaston is a 20,300-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Northampton County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 62 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 6 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Gaston is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch6 documented ramps
- Big water20,300 acres
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.4 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~62 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~30 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 20,300 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 Gaston.
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
- Salmons LandingPublic
- SummitPublic
- ThelmaPublic
- HenricoPublic
- VultarePublic
- Pea HillPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Gaston
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Gaston is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gaston (completed 1963), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Roanoke; concrete-type dam, 99 ft tall and 3,600 ft long.
- Surface area
- 20,300 ac
- Normal storage
- 450,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 513,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 8,340 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Virginia Electric and Power Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00826 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Northampton County
Nearby Lakes in Northampton County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Gaston
Where is Lake Gaston?
- Lake Gaston is a lake in Northampton County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Gaston?
- Lake Gaston in Northampton County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L. Surface area: 20300 acres.
Is Lake Gaston safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Gaston?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Gaston, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 62 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 20300 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Gaston?
- Lake Gaston has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Salmons Landing, Summit, Thelma, Henrico, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Gaston across LakeQuality
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
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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 C Lakes in North Carolina
Eutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory