Lake Townsend
Guilford County, North Carolina1,635 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #4 of 5 in the county
- 36 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lake Townsend in Guilford County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28 µg/L. Surface area: 1635 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~36 ft est.
- Area
- 1,635 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Townsend
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Townsend 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 Townsend are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Townsend
Prices for Sep 4–6, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Watch Lake Townsend’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Lake Townsend is a 1,635-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Guilford County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 36 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Guilford County, Lake Townsend ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2023-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Townsend is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Big water1,635 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 3.5 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 28 µg/L. TSI 58. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~36 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~24 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,635 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 Townsend.
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 Townsend
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Townsend is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Townsend Dam (completed 1969), built primarily for recreation on the Reedy Fork Creek; earth-type dam, 41 ft tall and 1,420 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,635 ac
- Normal storage
- 20,274 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 38,285 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 105 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Greensboro Water Resources
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00687 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in Guilford County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Townsend holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Guilford County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Townsend
Where is Lake Townsend?
- Lake Townsend 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 Townsend?
- Lake Townsend in Guilford County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28 µg/L. Surface area: 1635 acres.
Is Lake Townsend safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Townsend?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Townsend, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 36 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 1635 acres.
Explore Lake Townsend 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
60 measurements from 3 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
21NC03WQ60 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 (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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)