Lake James is a lake in McDowell County, North Carolina. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no water-quality sampling on record for this lake.

Lake James

Not yet rated

5,965 acres

Lake James in McDowell County, North Carolina is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 5965 acres.

Area: 5,965 acres

Where to stay →Safe to swim?

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Why Lake James has no grade

We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Lake James, no water-quality sampling on record for this lake.

Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.

Sampling is run by NCDEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.

Lake James is a 5,965-acre lake in McDowell County, North Carolina.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled recent years. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Elevated nutrients

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

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Water quality measurements for Lake James

These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.

No clarity data. Trophic State Index: undefined.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	No recent samples
Phosphorus	No recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)

Where to stay near Lake James

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake James in McDowell 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Lake James

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at North Carolina’s top lakes →

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	5,965 acres

No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake James, so its depth is not documented here.

Fishing Lake James

→ Lake James fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Nearby Lakes in McDowell County

NRLake TahomaView →NRMuddy Creek B S A LakeView →CLake JamesMesotrophicView →NRLand Harbors LakeView →NRGrandmother LakeView →CLake RhodhissEutrophicView →

Frequently asked questions about Lake James

Where is Lake James?: Lake James is a lake in McDowell County, North Carolina. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no water-quality sampling on record for this lake.
What is the water quality grade for Lake James?: Lake James in McDowell County, North Carolina is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 5965 acres.
Is Lake James safe to swim in?: Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Lake James is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.