Carters Lake
Gilmer County, Georgia3,275 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 83 ft max depth
- Public access
Carters Lake in Gilmer County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.4 µg/L. Surface area: 3275 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~83 ft est.
- Area
- 3,275 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 8.4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Carters Lake is a 3,275-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Gilmer County, Georgia with an estimated average depth of about 83 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining 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, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2025-10-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Carters Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch6 documented ramps
- Big water3,275 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Carters Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.1 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.4 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~83 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 3,275 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Georgia has not published bathymetry for Carters 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.
Recreation & Access
- Dam SitePublic
- Doll Mountain Camping AreaPublic
- Doll Mountain Day Use AreaPublic
- RidgewayPublic
- Woodring Branch Camping AreaPublic
- Woodring Branch Day Use AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Carters Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 14 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.025 m/yr | 14 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.54 µg/L/yr | 14 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Carters Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Carters Main Dam (completed 1974), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Coosawattee River; rockfill-type dam, 464 ft tall and 1,950 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,275 ac
- Normal storage
- 383,565 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 472,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 373 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Mobile District
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID GA00821 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Carters Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit GAR031501020406 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Gilmer County
Nearby Lakes in Gilmer County
Frequently asked questions about Carters Lake
Where is Carters Lake?
- Carters Lake is a lake in Gilmer County, Georgia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Carters Lake?
- Carters Lake in Gilmer County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.4 µg/L. Surface area: 3275 acres.
Is Carters Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Carters Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Carters Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Carters Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 83 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 3275 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Carters Lake?
- Carters Lake has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dam Site, Doll Mountain Camping Area, Doll Mountain Day Use Area, Ridgeway, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Carters Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 23.8 mi, nearest Amicalola Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Georgia's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
518 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division
21GAEPD_WQX518 samples · 2012–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory