Beech River Lake
Henderson County, Tennessee877 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 52 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Beech River Lake in Henderson County, Tennessee is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Surface area: 877 acres.
- Max depth
- ~52 ft est.
- Area
- 877 acres
- Phosphorus
- 14 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Beech River Lake’s letter
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Why Beech River Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Beech River Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by TDEC and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Beech River Lake is a 877-acre lake in Henderson County, Tennessee with an estimated average depth of about 52 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TDEC, last sampled 2012-07-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Beech River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Beech River Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~52 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~14 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 877 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Tennessee has not published bathymetry for Beech River Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Beech River Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Beech River Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Beech Dam (completed 1963), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Beech River; earth-type dam, 44 ft tall and 1,615 ft long.
- Surface area
- 877 ac
- Normal storage
- 11,070 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 15,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 15.74 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- TVA
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID TN07705 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Beech River Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit TN06040001BEECHLK_1000 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.75 km)
Graded lakes near Beech River Lake
Beech River Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Henderson County
Frequently asked questions about Beech River Lake
Where is Beech River Lake?
- Beech River Lake is a lake in Henderson County, Tennessee. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Beech River Lake?
- Beech River Lake in Henderson County, Tennessee is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Surface area: 877 acres.
Is Beech River Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Beech River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Beech River Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Beech River Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 52 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 877 acres.
Explore Beech River Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2012. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- TDEC Division of Water Resources
TDECWR_WQX1 sample · 2012
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)