Tar River Reservoir
Nash County, North Carolina1,000 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 31 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Tar River Reservoir in Nash County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33 µg/L. Surface area: 1000 acres.
- Max depth
- ~31 ft est.
- Area
- 1,000 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Tar River Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tar River Reservoir in Nash 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 Tar River Reservoir are listed below.
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Tar River Reservoir is a 1,000-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Nash County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 31 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2022-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Tar River Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water1,000 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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 33 µg/L. TSI 65. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 70 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 33 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~31 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,000 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 Tar River 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.
Recreation & Access
- Unnamed Boat RampPublic
- Tar River Reservoir Boat Ramp accessPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Tar River Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Tar River Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Tar River Reservoir Dam (completed 1971), built primarily for other on the Tar River; earth-type dam, 35 ft tall and 500 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,000 ac
- Normal storage
- 11,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 13,440 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 775 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Rocky Mount
All listed purposes: Other;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00913 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Nash County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Tar River Reservoir holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Nash County
Frequently asked questions about Tar River Reservoir
Where is Tar River Reservoir?
- Tar River Reservoir is a lake in Nash 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 Tar River Reservoir?
- Tar River Reservoir in Nash County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33 µg/L. Surface area: 1000 acres.
Is Tar River Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Tar River Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Tar River Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 31 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 1000 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Tar River Reservoir?
- Tar River Reservoir has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Unnamed Boat Ramp, Tar River Reservoir Boat Ramp access. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Tar River Reservoir 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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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 F Lakes in North Carolina
Hypereutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
63 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ63 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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