Nantahala Lake
Macon County, North Carolina1,605 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 95 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Nantahala Lake in Macon County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Surface area: 1605 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~95 ft est.
- Area
- 1,605 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Nantahala Lake’s letter
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Nantahala Lake is a 1,605-acre mesotrophic lake in Macon County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 95 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Macon County, Nantahala Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-11-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Nantahala Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water1,605 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.1 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~95 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,605 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 Nantahala 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
- Rocky BranchPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Nantahala Lake
- Wine Spring Horse Camp4.7 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Nantahala Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nantahala Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nantahala (completed 1942), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Nantahala River; rockfill-type dam, 250 ft tall and 1,042 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,605 ac
- Normal storage
- 126,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 126,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 108 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Duke Energy
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00371 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Macon County
Nearby Lakes in Macon County
Frequently asked questions about Nantahala Lake
Where is Nantahala Lake?
- Nantahala Lake is a lake in Macon 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 Nantahala Lake?
- Nantahala Lake in Macon County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Surface area: 1605 acres.
Is Nantahala Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Nantahala Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Nantahala Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 95 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 1605 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Nantahala Lake?
- Nantahala Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rocky Branch. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Nantahala Lake?
- Nantahala Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Wine Spring Horse Camp. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Nantahala Lake across LakeQuality
16.7 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
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Great Smoky Mountains?
Nantahala Lake is about 30 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains →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
Mesotrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
57 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
21NC03WQ57 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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles