Overview
Badin Lake, also known as Narrows Reservoir, is a 5,350-acre reservoir on the Yadkin River in Stanly, Montgomery, and Davidson counties in the North Carolina Piedmont near the village of Badin. It was created when the Narrows Dam was completed in 1917 to power the Alcoa aluminum smelter at Badin, and it is now owned and operated by Cube Hydro Carolinas as part of the Yadkin Project.
Deep for a Piedmont lake, Badin averages near 90 feet and reaches roughly 190 feet in the old river gorge, with about 115 miles of shoreline that mixes wooded slopes, the Uwharrie National Forest, and residential development. Clear, deep water and rocky structure give it a character distinct from the shallower reservoirs upstream and downstream on the Yadkin.
The lake is a strong fishery for largemouth and spotted bass, crappie, catfish, and white perch, and it is popular for boating and paddling. Fisheries are managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, and Cube access areas, Uwharrie National Forest recreation sites, and boat ramps provide public access.
Water levels on Badin Lake are managed by Cube Hydro Carolinas under its FERC license and are reported on the Yadkin Project datum, where full pond is 541.1 feet (about 509.8 feet on USGS datum). Because it receives releases from High Rock Lake and generates hydropower, its level fluctuates with rainfall and operations, so monitoring current lake levels is helpful for boating, fishing, and dock access.
Current Conditions
Badin Lake is currently 0.82 feet below full pool and has fallen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 0.53 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.38 ft
- Drought conditionsModerate Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Badin Lake is a 5,350-acre reservoir on the Yadkin River managed by Cube Hydro Carolinas (Yadkin Project).