Lake Waccamaw
Columbus County, North CarolinaView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 152 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Waccamaw in Columbus County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~152 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Lake Waccamaw is a mesotrophic lake in Columbus County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 152 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Columbus County, Lake Waccamaw ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Waccamaw is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~152 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~7 ft est. |
| 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 Waccamaw.
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 WaccamawPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Waccamaw
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Columbus County
Nearby Lakes in Columbus County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Waccamaw
Where is Lake Waccamaw?
- Lake Waccamaw is a lake in Columbus 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 Waccamaw?
- Lake Waccamaw in Columbus County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L.
Is Lake Waccamaw safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Waccamaw?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Waccamaw, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 152 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Waccamaw?
- Lake Waccamaw has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Waccamaw. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Waccamaw across LakeQuality
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
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
139 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ139 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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