Singletary Lake
December 2007
Singletary Lake Show map of North Carolina Singletary Lake Show map of the United States
Location	Bladen County, North Carolina, United States
Coordinates	34°35′20″N 078°26′55″W / 34.58889°N 78.44861°W / 34.58889; -78.44861
Type	Carolina Bay
Primary inflows	rainwater
Basin countries	United States
Managing agency	North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Designation	State Lake
Surface area	572 acres (2.3 km2)
Average depth	11.8 ft (3.6 m)
Surface elevation	62 ft (19 m)

Singletary Lake, surrounded by Singletary Lake State Park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States, is one of a series of Carolina bay lakes that stretch from New Jersey to Florida along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Exactly how the lakes were formed remains a mystery. What is known is that Singletary Lake is not fed by any stream, but relies entirely upon rain. ^[1]Singletary Lake is classified as a reservoir by the U.S. Geological Survey. ^[2] The lake was established as a North Carolina State Lake in 1929, and it is managed by the adjacent Singletary Lake State Park.

Ecological Characteristics

The southwest corner of the lake is bordered by a bog that is densely covered by bay trees. A sandy rim on the southeast side of the lake supports very little vegetation. ^[1]

Most bay lakes, such as Singletary Lake, are completely surrounded by vegetation. Trees and shrubs that grow along the shoreline reduce current and wave action. This permits sediments to settle and stimulates plant growth. As the plants die off peat is produced. The peat accumulates on the shore line and more plants grow atop the peat. The forest surrounding the lake slowly expands into the lake area. This reduces the size of the lake and eventually a swampy forest will stand where the lake once was. This process has reduced the size of Singletary Lake by at least 44%. ^[3]

Physical Characteristics

Singletary Lake is the deepest of the Carolina Bays at 11.8 feet (3.6 m) but not the largest. It covers 572 acres (2.31 km²) with four miles (6.43 km) of shoreline. Since Singletary Lake is not fed by streams and relies upon rainwater the level of the lake varies with the amount of precipitation in the area. ^[3] The water from Singletary Lake contributes to the Cape Fear River. The water first flows into Lake Drain Creek, then Big Colly Creek, and lastly the Black River, a tributary of the Cape Fear River. ^[4]

The water at Singletary Lake has been noted to be acidic, with pH ranging from 3.9 to 4.2. ^[4] Singletary Lake is a dystrophic lake with water low in nutrients. ^[4] Based on data collected in 2009, the Secchi depth is between 0.6-1 meter. ^[4] The high acidity of the lake means that few fish can thrive in its waters. Two of the fish recreationally caught there are the chain pickerel and yellow perch. ^[5]

Species Found at Lake Singletary