Lake Julian
Buncombe County, North Carolina470 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- 26 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lake Julian in Buncombe County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Surface area: 470 acres.
- Max depth
- ~26 ft est.
- Area
- 470 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
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Watch Lake Julian’s letter
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Lake Julian is a 470-acre mesotrophic lake in Buncombe County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 26 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Buncombe County, Lake Julian ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2022-09-07. 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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Julian is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4B) for temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.5 µg/L. TSI 46. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~26 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~14 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 470 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 Julian.
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 Julian
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Julian is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Julian Dam (completed 1962), built primarily for hydroelectric on the UT to French Broad River; earth-type dam, 106 ft tall and 1,000 ft long.
- Surface area
- 470 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,454 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 8,819 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4.81 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Duke Energy Corporation
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC05712 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Julian is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4B).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NC6-62 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.57 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Buncombe County
Nearby Lakes in Buncombe County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Julian
Where is Lake Julian?
- Lake Julian is a lake in Buncombe County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Julian?
- Lake Julian in Buncombe County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Surface area: 470 acres.
Is Lake Julian safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Julian is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4B) for temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Julian?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Julian, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 26 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 470 acres.
Explore Lake Julian across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 19.7 mi, nearest Hickory Nut Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Blue Ridge?
Lake Julian is about 7 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 A Lakes in North Carolina
Mesotrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ24 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)