Caney Fork River Lake
DeKalb County, Tennessee18,220 acresView mapDirections
TDEC publishes the water-quality measurements for Caney Fork River Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Caney Fork River Lake in DeKalb County, Tennessee has water-quality measurements published by TDEC, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Surface area: 18220 acres.
Caney Fork River Lake is a 18,220-acre lake in DeKalb County, Tennessee. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 6 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TDEC, last sampled 2012-07-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Caney Fork River Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch6 documented ramps
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
- Big water18,220 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Caney Fork River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Caney Fork River Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Caney Fork River Lake
These are the measurements TDEC publishes for Caney Fork River Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Caney Fork River Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
18,220 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by TDEC
No bathymetric survey has been published for Caney Fork River Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Edgar Evins State Park Ramp 2Public
- Edgar Evins State Park Ramp 1Public
- Long BranchPublic
- Buffalo ValleyPublic
- Edgar Evins MarinaPublic
- Center Hill MarinaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Caney Fork River Lake
- Long Branch (Center Hill Lake)1.1 kmReserve
- Edgar Evins State Park Campground1.2 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Caney Fork River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Caney Fork River Lake in DeKalb County, Tennessee — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Caney Fork River Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Caney Fork River Lake → · more Tennessee lake trips
Follow Caney Fork River Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Caney Fork River Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2012–2014). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+38.6 µg/L/yr3 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Caney Fork River Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Center Hill Dam (completed 1951), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Caney Fork River; other-type dam, 125 ft tall and 2,160 ft long.
- Surface area
- 18,220 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,330,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,092,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2,174 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Nashville District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other;Recreation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID TN04102 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.83 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Caney Fork 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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit TN05130108013_1000 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in DeKalb County
Frequently asked questions about Caney Fork River Lake
Where is Caney Fork River Lake?
- Caney Fork River Lake is a lake in DeKalb County, Tennessee. Its water-quality measurements are published by TDEC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Caney Fork River Lake?
- Caney Fork River Lake in DeKalb County, Tennessee has water-quality measurements published by TDEC, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Surface area: 18220 acres.
Is Caney Fork River Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Caney Fork River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Caney Fork River Lake?
- Caney Fork River Lake has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Edgar Evins State Park Ramp 2, Edgar Evins State Park Ramp 1, Long Branch, Buffalo Valley, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Caney Fork River Lake?
- Caney Fork River Lake has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Tennessee's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Caney Fork River Lake?
- Caney Fork River Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Long Branch (Center Hill Lake), Edgar Evins State Park Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Caney Fork River Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 18 mi, nearest Burgess Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Tennessee's top lakes, each with its readings
Tennessee's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Tennessee
Other Lakes in Tennessee
Mesotrophic Lakes in Tennessee
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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles