Reedy Creek Lake
Wake County, North Carolina8 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #13 of 14 in the county
Reedy Creek Lake in Wake County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.5 µg/L. Surface area: 7.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Area
- 8 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Reedy Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Reedy Creek Lake in Wake County, North Carolina — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Reedy Creek Lake are listed below.
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Watch Reedy Creek Lake’s letter
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Reedy Creek Lake is a 8-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wake County, North Carolina. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 13 other monitored lakes in Wake County, Reedy Creek Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Reedy Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 32.5 µg/L. TSI 65. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 65 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 32.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Reedy Creek Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Reedy Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Reedy Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Reedy Creek Lake Dam (completed 1955), built primarily for recreation on the UT to Crabtree Creek; earth-type dam, 32 ft tall and 330 ft long.
- Surface area
- 7.5 ac
- Normal storage
- 80 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 96 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4.44 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00842 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Reedy Creek Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NC27-33-11 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.07 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 14 lakes in Wake County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Reedy Creek Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wake County
Frequently asked questions about Reedy Creek Lake
Where is Reedy Creek Lake?
- Reedy Creek Lake is a lake in Wake County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Reedy Creek Lake?
- Reedy Creek Lake in Wake County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.5 µg/L. Surface area: 7.5 acres.
Is Reedy Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Reedy Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Reedy Creek Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
38 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 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
21NC03WQ38 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 (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database