Wolf Creek Reservoir
Jackson County, North Carolina40 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Wolf Creek Reservoir in Jackson County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 19.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L. Surface area: 40 acres.
- Clarity
- 19.7 ft
- Max depth
- ~21 ft est.
- Area
- 40 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Wolf Creek Reservoir’s letter
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Wolf Creek Reservoir is a 40-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Jackson County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 21 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Wolf Creek Reservoir ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-11-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Wolf Creek Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water19.7 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Crystal clear, you can see 19.7 ft down. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.5 µg/L. TSI 41. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~21 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 40 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 Wolf Creek 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
- Wolf CreekPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Wolf Creek Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wolf Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wolf Creek (completed 1955), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Wolf Creek; earth-type dam, 178 ft tall and 810 ft long.
- Surface area
- 40 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,340 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,340 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 15.2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Duke Energy
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00789 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Jackson County
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Wolf Creek Reservoir
Where is Wolf Creek Reservoir?
- Wolf Creek Reservoir is a lake in Jackson County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wolf Creek Reservoir?
- Wolf Creek Reservoir in Jackson County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 19.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L. Surface area: 40 acres.
Is Wolf Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Wolf Creek Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Wolf Creek Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 21 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 40 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Wolf Creek Reservoir?
- Wolf Creek Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wolf Creek. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wolf Creek Reservoir across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 10.3 mi, nearest Courthouse Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Blue Ridge?
Wolf Creek Reservoir is about 37 miles from Blue Ridge Parkway. 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 Blue Ridge →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 C Lakes in North Carolina
Oligotrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
38 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2024. 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 · 2024
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory