Waterville Lake
Haywood County, North CarolinaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 34 ft max depth
- Limited data
Waterville Lake in Haywood County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.5 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~34 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Waterville Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Waterville Lake in Haywood 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 Waterville Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Waterville Lake
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Waterville Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Haywood County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 34 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Haywood County, Waterville Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2022-09-07. 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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17.5 µg/L. TSI 61. 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) | 17.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~34 ft est. |
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 Waterville 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 Waterville Lake
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Haywood County
Nearby Lakes in Haywood County
Frequently asked questions about Waterville Lake
Where is Waterville Lake?
- Waterville Lake is a lake in Haywood County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Waterville Lake?
- Waterville Lake in Haywood County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.5 µg/L.
Is Waterville Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Waterville Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Waterville Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 34 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Waterville Lake across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 17 mi, nearest Mouse Creek Falls
18.9 mi away · recorded at 108°F
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Great Smoky Mountains?
Waterville Lake is about 27 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains →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 D Lakes in North Carolina
Eutrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 3 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
21NC03WQ20 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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)