Old Town Reservoir
Moore County, North Carolina61 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- 49 ft max depth
- Limited data
Old Town Reservoir in Moore County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12 µg/L. Surface area: 61 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~49 ft est.
- Area
- 61 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
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Old Town Reservoir is a 61-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Moore County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 49 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Moore County, Old Town Reservoir ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2023-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12 µg/L. TSI 52. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~49 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 61 acres |
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 Old Town 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 Old Town Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Old Town Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Southern Pines Waterworks Dam (completed 1924), built primarily for recreation on the Mill Creek; earth-type dam, 23 ft tall and 640 ft long.
- Surface area
- 61 ac
- Normal storage
- 700 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,072 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.78 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Town of Southern Pines
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00072 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.42 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Moore County
Nearby Lakes in Moore County
Frequently asked questions about Old Town Reservoir
Where is Old Town Reservoir?
- Old Town Reservoir is a lake in Moore 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 Old Town Reservoir?
- Old Town Reservoir in Moore County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12 µg/L. Surface area: 61 acres.
Is Old Town Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Old Town Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Old Town Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 49 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 61 acres.
Explore Old Town Reservoir across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ40 samples · 2023
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.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)