Roane County Lake Quality
Tennessee, 4 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Roane County has 4 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. Roane County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Emory River Lake (B) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Roane County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Emory River Lake — or check the official Tennessee fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Roane County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emory River Lake | B | - | 22.1 µg/L |
| 2 | Tennessee River Lake | C | - | 28.6 µg/L |
| 3 | Clinch River Lake | C | - | 30.4 µg/L |
| 4 | Caney Creek Lake | C | - | 55.9 µg/L |
Other Counties in Tennessee
See how Roane County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 34 states.
Where to stay near Roane County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.