Clarks Hill Lake
McCormick County, South CarolinaView mapDirections
SCDHEC publishes the water-quality measurements for Clarks Hill Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
Clarks Hill Lake in McCormick County, South Carolina has water-quality measurements published by SCDHEC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L.
Clarks Hill Lake is a mesotrophic lake in McCormick County, South Carolina. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in McCormick County, Clarks Hill Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, SCDES, last sampled 2025-10-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Clarks Hill Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping3 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Clarks Hill Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Clarks Hill Lake
These are the measurements SCDHEC publishes for Clarks Hill Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.2 ft. Chlorophyll-a 6.4 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.4µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Clarks Hill Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Clarks Hill Lake
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 Clarks Hill Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clarks Hill Lake in McCormick County, South Carolina — 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 Clarks Hill Lake
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Fishing Clarks Hill Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 14 years of monitoring (2012–2025).
Water clarity
Stable14 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+4.89 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.26 µg/L/yr14 years
Nearby Lakes in McCormick County
Frequently asked questions about Clarks Hill Lake
Where is Clarks Hill Lake?
- Clarks Hill Lake is a lake in McCormick County, South Carolina. Its water-quality measurements are published by SCDHEC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Clarks Hill Lake?
- Clarks Hill Lake in McCormick County, South Carolina has water-quality measurements published by SCDHEC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L.
Is Clarks Hill Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Can I fish at Clarks Hill Lake?
- Public access to Clarks Hill Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by South Carolina's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Clarks Hill Lake?
- Clarks Hill Lake has 3 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including West Dam, Below Dam South Carolina, Clarks Hill. 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 Clarks Hill Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in South Carolina
Other Lakes in South Carolina
Mesotrophic Lakes in South Carolina
Where this data comes from
152 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_WQX152 samples · 2013–2025
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles