Merchants Millpond
Gates County, North Carolina760 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
Merchants Millpond in Gates County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 270 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.2 µg/L. Surface area: 760 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Area
- 760 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
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Watch Merchants Millpond’s letter
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Merchants Millpond is a 760-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Gates County, North Carolina. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 270 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.2 µg/L. TSI 69. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 270 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 760 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Merchants Millpond, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Merchants Millpond
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -16 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.68 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Merchants Millpond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Merchants Millpond Dam, built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Benntees Creek; earth-type dam, 11 ft tall and 2,500 ft long.
- Surface area
- 760 ac
- Max storage
- 3,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 18.75 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC05680 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Gates County
Nearby Lakes in Gates County
Frequently asked questions about Merchants Millpond
Where is Merchants Millpond?
- Merchants Millpond is a lake in Gates County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Merchants Millpond?
- Merchants Millpond in Gates County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 270 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.2 µg/L. Surface area: 760 acres.
Is Merchants Millpond safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Merchants Millpond across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
67 measurements from 2 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
21NC03WQ67 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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.