Town Creek Lake
Rowan County, North CarolinaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- #3 of 3 in the county
- Public access
Town Creek Lake in Rowan County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36 µg/L.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Town Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Town Creek Lake in Rowan 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 Town Creek Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Town Creek Lake
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Watch Town Creek Lake’s letter
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Town Creek Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Rowan County, North Carolina. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Rowan County, Town Creek Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Town Creek Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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. Town Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 36 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 60 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 36 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Recreation & Access
- York Hill Yadkin River AccessPublic
- Hannah Ferry Rd boat rampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Town Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.43 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.46 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Town 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 NC12-(108.5)b4 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.96 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Rowan County
Nearby Lakes in Rowan County
Frequently asked questions about Town Creek Lake
Where is Town Creek Lake?
- Town Creek Lake is a lake in Rowan 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 Town Creek Lake?
- Town Creek Lake in Rowan County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36 µg/L.
Is Town Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Town Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Town Creek Lake?
- Town Creek Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include York Hill Yadkin River Access, Hannah Ferry Rd boat ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Town Creek Lake across LakeQuality
12.5 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
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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
143 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
21NC03WQ143 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory