Lookout Shoals Lake
Catawba County, North Carolina835 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- 41 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lookout Shoals Lake in Catawba County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.1 µg/L. Surface area: 835 acres.
- Max depth
- ~41 ft est.
- Area
- 835 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Lookout Shoals Lake is a 835-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Catawba County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 41 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Catawba County, Lookout Shoals Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2022-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lookout Shoals Lake 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.1 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) | 8.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~41 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 835 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 Lookout Shoals Lake.
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
- SharonPublic
- Lookout ShoalsPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lookout Shoals Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lookout Shoals Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lookout Shoals (completed 1915), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Catawba; gravity-type dam, 88 ft tall and 2,731.08 ft long.
- Surface area
- 835 ac
- Normal storage
- 26,390 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 26,390 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,450 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Duke Energy
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00394 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Catawba County
Nearby Lakes in Catawba County
Frequently asked questions about Lookout Shoals Lake
Where is Lookout Shoals Lake?
- Lookout Shoals Lake is a lake in Catawba 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 Lookout Shoals Lake?
- Lookout Shoals Lake in Catawba County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.1 µg/L. Surface area: 835 acres.
Is Lookout Shoals Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lookout Shoals Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lookout Shoals Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 41 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 835 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lookout Shoals Lake?
- Lookout Shoals Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sharon, Lookout Shoals. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lookout Shoals Lake 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 C Lakes in North Carolina
Eutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
39 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
21NC03WQ39 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory