Lake Mackintosh
Guilford County, North Carolina1,125 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 5 in the county
- 39 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Mackintosh in Guilford County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 15.5 µg/L. Surface area: 1125 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~39 ft est.
- Area
- 1,125 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Mackintosh
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Mackintosh in Guilford 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 Mackintosh are listed below.
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Lake Mackintosh is a 1,125-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Guilford County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 39 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Guilford County, Lake Mackintosh ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2023-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Mackintosh is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water1,125 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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 15.5 µg/L. TSI 56. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 15.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~39 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~26 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,125 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 Mackintosh.
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
- Unnamed RampPublic
- Lake Mackintosh MarinaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Mackintosh
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Mackintosh is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Mackintosh Dam (completed 1992), built primarily for other on the Great Alamance Creek; concrete-type dam, 69 ft tall and 400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,125 ac
- Normal storage
- 23,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 30,825 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 135 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Burlington
All listed purposes: Other;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC04954 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 5 lakes in Guilford County
Nearby Lakes in Guilford County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Mackintosh
Where is Lake Mackintosh?
- Lake Mackintosh is a lake in Guilford 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 Mackintosh?
- Lake Mackintosh in Guilford County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 15.5 µg/L. Surface area: 1125 acres.
Is Lake Mackintosh safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Mackintosh?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Mackintosh, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 39 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 1125 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Mackintosh?
- Lake Mackintosh has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Unnamed Ramp, Lake Mackintosh Marina. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Mackintosh 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
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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 D Lakes in North Carolina
Eutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
118 measurements from 6 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
21NC03WQ118 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 (6)
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