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LakeQuality

Mesotrophic Lakes in North Carolina

30 mesotrophic lakes in North Carolina. Moderate nutrients, good water quality.

Most well-managed working lakes register as mesotrophic — the band that balances productivity with clarity. 30 lakes in {{stateName}} sit in the mesotrophic band. About 0% are deep (50+ ft); the rest are shallower basins where watershed management keeps nutrients from pushing the system into eutrophy.

Mesotrophic lakes tend to grade B or C on the LakeGrade rubric — the productive-but-clear band lines up with the middle of the letter grades.

#LakeCountyGradeClarityDepthTSI
1Water LakeRichmondA--42
2Burnett ReservoirBuncombeA--44
3Chatuge LakeClayA11.6 ft-40
4Belews LakeStokesA11.6 ft-42
5Fontana LakeSwainA13.6 ft-43
6Fontana LakeGrahamA14.1 ft-42
7Nantahala LakeMaconA12.5 ft-41
8Santeetlah LakeGrahamA14.3 ft-41
9Apalachia LakeCherokeeA13.1 ft-41
10Buckeye LakeWataugaB7.5 ft-46
11Sutton LakeNew HanoverB10 ft-46
12Asu LakeWataugaB12.3 ft-44
13Center of Sutton LakeNew HanoverB6.7 ft-48
14Hiwassee ReservoirCherokeeB10 ft-47
15Bear Creek ReservoirJacksonB7.7 ft-46
16Phelps LakeWashingtonB--49
17Lake WaccamawColumbusB--48
18Falls LakeMontgomeryB--49
19Lake LureRutherfordB--49
20Mountain Island LakeGastonB--48
21Lookout Shoals LakeCatawbaB--49
22Lake NormanIredellB--48
23Bessemer City LakeGastonB--49
24Lake JulianBuncombeB--46
25Allen Creek ReservoirHaywoodB--49
26Beetree ReservoirBuncombeB--48
27Newton City LakeCatawbaB--48
28Thorpe ReservoirJacksonB8.7 ft-47
29Catawba Riv LakeMecklenburgC6.6 ft-49
30Roanoke Rapids LakeHalifaxC6.1 ft-50
All mesotrophic lakes →Minnesota version →Wisconsin version →Illinois version →Michigan version →Iowa version →Ohio version →Pennsylvania version →New York version →Missouri version →Indiana version →North Dakota version →South Dakota version →Florida version →Colorado version →All North Carolina lakes →

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.