Clarks Hill Lake
Lincoln County, GeorgiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 160 ft max depth
- Public access
Clarks Hill Lake in Lincoln County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 6.7 ft
- Max depth
- ~160 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 7.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Clarks Hill Lake’s letter
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Clarks Hill Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lincoln County, Georgia with an estimated average depth of about 160 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 11 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Lincoln County, Clarks Hill Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
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 launch11 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 6.7 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.2 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~160 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~118 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
- Landrum CreekPublic
- Modoc ParkPublic
- Modoc Camp AreaPublic
- Scotts FerryPublic
- ParksvillePublic
- Modoc ShoresPublic
Showing 6 of 11 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 14 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.007 m/yr | 13 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.38 µg/L/yr | 14 |
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Lincoln County
Nearby Lakes in Lincoln County
Frequently asked questions about Clarks Hill Lake
Where is Clarks Hill Lake?
- Clarks Hill Lake is a lake in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.2 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 160 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 11 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Landrum Creek, Modoc Park, Modoc Camp Area, Scotts Ferry, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Clarks Hill Lake across LakeQuality
More Georgia Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Georgia
Eutrophic Lakes in Georgia
Where this data comes from
225 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_WQX225 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