Cary owns and maintains seven lakes and dams. These bodies of water serve multiple functions: flood protection, water quality improvement, recreation, wildlife habitat, and aesthetics.

View of Symphony Lake and Koka Booth Amphitheater

Cary-owned lakes and ponds include the following:

• Symphony Lake (Regency Lake)
• Tryon Lake (Macedonia Lake)
• Carpenter Park Lake
• Twin Lakes (Hatchs Lake, upper; and Lake Grove Lake, lower)
• Rogers Road Pond
• Pond at Diavolo Disc Golf Course

Bond Lake, a key feature within Cary’s Fred G. Bond Metro Park, was constructed by Wake County and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1972 as one of 10 flood-control structures within the Crabtree Creek Basin. While oversight of the dam falls under the jurisdiction of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), it is maintained by Wake County through an agreement with Cary.

As with privately-owned dams, lakes, and ponds, these require regular maintenance to keep them in optimal condition. This includes routine monthly maintenance like mowing the dam faces and top; clearing trash and debris from the outlet structure; and monitoring for erosion along the shore of the dam/lakes/ponds and repairing such erosion when found. Maintenance may also include clearing or repair of inlet pipes or repair of outlet structures. Larger-scale maintenance such as dredging is also required periodically due to natural processes that occur when fast-moving stream water enters still lake water and sediment drops to the bottom.

In addition, depending on the size of the water body, amount of water impounded by the dam, and height of the dam itself, federal and state regulations require annual inspection and certification of the dam by a licensed professional engineer. Cary's dam hazard levels are as follows:

Consistent and regular monitoring and maintenance are required to keep our dams, lakes, and ponds in good working order so they can continue to provide the functions and benefits to Cary and its citizens.

There are numerous privately-owned dams, lakes, and ponds in Cary -- in fact, the biggest lakes in Cary are privately-owned. The table below compares some of the well-known lakes and neighborhood ponds in Cary:

Cary does not maintain or dredge privately-owned ponds or lakes.  Private property owners are responsible for the maintenance of their own lakes and dams. Read our Drainage FAQs to find answers to common questions about maintaining privately-owned lakes and ponds. Additionally, some privately-owned ponds are also regulated Stormwater Control Measures (SCMs); to learn more about these devices, visit our Stormwater Control Measure page, or view a map of the privately-owned SCMs in Cary on our SCM Maintenance & Inspection page.

Citizens can assist in keeping our lakes and ponds healthy and beautiful. If you have any questions or concerns regarding Cary’s lakes and ponds, dial 311 anywhere in Cary, (919) 469-4000 outside Town limits, visit services.carync.gov or email 311@carync.gov.