Water Lake
Richmond County, North Carolina56 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 4 in the county
- 33 ft max depth
- Limited data
Water Lake in Richmond County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Surface area: 56 acres.
- Max depth
- ~33 ft est.
- Area
- 56 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
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Water Lake is a 56-acre mesotrophic lake in Richmond County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2021. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Richmond County, Water Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2021-09-23. 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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 3.3 µg/L. TSI 42. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 56 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 Water 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.
Fishing Water Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Water Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hamlet City Lake Upper Dam (completed 1908), built primarily for recreation on the Marks Creek; earth-type dam, 15 ft tall and 810 ft long.
- Surface area
- 56 ac
- Normal storage
- 447 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 735 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.09 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Hamlet, Hamlet Water System
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00637 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 4 lakes in Richmond County
Nearby Lakes in Richmond County
Frequently asked questions about Water Lake
Where is Water Lake?
- Water Lake is a lake in Richmond County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Water Lake?
- Water Lake in Richmond County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Surface area: 56 acres.
Is Water Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Water Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Water Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 33 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 56 acres.
Explore Water Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ14 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- 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)