Lake Lure
Rutherford County, North Carolina740 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 68 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Lure in Rutherford County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.3 µg/L. Surface area: 740 acres.
- Max depth
- ~68 ft est.
- Area
- 740 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Lake Lure is a 740-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rutherford County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 68 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2025-05-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Lure is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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. Lake Lure is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.3 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~68 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~65 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 740 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 Lure.
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
- Lake Lyre Boat RampPublic
- Lake Lure / Washburn MarinaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Lure
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Lure is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Lure Dam (completed 1927), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Rocky Broad River; concrete-type dam, 124 ft tall and 480 ft long.
- Surface area
- 740 ac
- Normal storage
- 32,295 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 44,914 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 95 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Town of Lake Lure
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00100 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Lure is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NC9-(22)a · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.5 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Rutherford County
Nearby Lakes in Rutherford County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Lure
Where is Lake Lure?
- Lake Lure is a lake in Rutherford 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 Lure?
- Lake Lure in Rutherford County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.3 µg/L. Surface area: 740 acres.
Is Lake Lure safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Lure is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Lure?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Lure, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 68 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 740 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Lure?
- Lake Lure has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Lyre Boat Ramp, Lake Lure / Washburn Marina. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Lure across LakeQuality
3 documented falls within 22.1 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
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Blue Ridge?
Lake Lure is about 19 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 C Lakes in North Carolina
Eutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
45 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ45 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- 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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory