Clarks Hill Lake
Columbia County, GeorgiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 61 ft max depth
- Public access
Clarks Hill Lake in Columbia County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 7.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~61 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Clarks Hill Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Columbia County, Georgia with an estimated average depth of about 61 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 22 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2025-10-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Clarks Hill Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch22 documented ramps
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.8 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.8 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~61 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~34 ft est. |
| 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 Clarks Hill 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
- Amity Recreation AreaPublic
- Below Clarkes Hill DamPublic
- Bussey Point CampgroundPublic
- Cherokee Recreation AreaPublic
- Clay Hill CampgroundPublic
- Double Branches RampPublic
Showing 6 of 22 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Clarks Hill Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 13 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.026 m/yr | 12 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.42 µg/L/yr | 13 |
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Columbia County
Nearby Lakes in Columbia County
Frequently asked questions about Clarks Hill Lake
Where is Clarks Hill Lake?
- Clarks Hill Lake is a lake in Columbia County, Georgia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Clarks Hill Lake?
- Clarks Hill Lake in Columbia County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L.
Is Clarks Hill Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Clarks Hill Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Clarks Hill Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 61 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Clarks Hill Lake?
- Clarks Hill Lake has 22 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Amity Recreation Area, Below Clarkes Hill Dam, Bussey Point Campground, Cherokee Recreation Area, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Clarks Hill Lake across LakeQuality
More Georgia Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Georgia
Mesotrophic Lakes in Georgia
Where this data comes from
221 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division
21GAEPD_WQX221 samples · 2013–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory