Mayo Reservoir
Person County, North Carolina2,800 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- 61 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Mayo Reservoir in Person County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.5 µg/L. Surface area: 2800 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~61 ft est.
- Area
- 2,800 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Mayo Reservoir’s letter
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Mayo Reservoir is a 2,800-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Person County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 61 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Person County, Mayo Reservoir ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-10-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Mayo Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Big water2,800 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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.5 µg/L. TSI 52. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~61 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~31 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 2,800 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 Mayo Reservoir.
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 Mayo Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Mayo Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Mayo Lake Dam, built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Mayo Creek; earth-type dam, 100 ft tall and 2,600 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,800 ac
- Normal storage
- 88,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 142,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.08 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Duke Energy Corporation
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC06002 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Person County
Nearby Lakes in Person County
Frequently asked questions about Mayo Reservoir
Where is Mayo Reservoir?
- Mayo Reservoir is a lake in Person 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 Mayo Reservoir?
- Mayo Reservoir in Person County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.5 µg/L. Surface area: 2800 acres.
Is Mayo Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Mayo Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Mayo Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 61 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 2800 acres.
Explore Mayo Reservoir across LakeQuality
9.5 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
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
60 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2024. 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 · 2024
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)