Fontana Lake
Graham County, North Carolina10,290 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 4 in the county
- 111 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Fontana Lake in Graham County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Surface area: 10290 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~111 ft est.
- Area
- 10,290 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Fontana Lake is a 10,290-acre mesotrophic lake in Graham County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 111 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Graham County, Fontana Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-11-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Fontana Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water10,290 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.1 µg/L. TSI 46. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~111 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 10,290 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. North Carolina has not published bathymetry for Fontana 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
- Cable CovePublic
- Lewellyn BranchPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Fontana Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fontana Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fontana Dam (completed 1944), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Little Tennessee River; concrete-type dam, 480 ft tall and 2,365 ft long.
- Surface area
- 10,290 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,370,253 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,552,689 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,571 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- TVA
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Navigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00298 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 4 lakes in Graham County
Nearby Lakes in Graham County
Frequently asked questions about Fontana Lake
Where is Fontana Lake?
- Fontana Lake is a lake in Graham County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Fontana Lake?
- Fontana Lake in Graham County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Surface area: 10290 acres.
Is Fontana Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Fontana Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Fontana Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 111 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 10290 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Fontana Lake?
- Fontana Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cable Cove, Lewellyn Branch. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fontana Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 19.2 mi, nearest Abrams Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Great Smoky Mountains?
Fontana Lake is about 19 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains →More North Carolina Lake Rankings
Ranked by overall water quality grade
Top 25 by Secchi water clarity
Grade A/B + low algae filter
Panfish-rich, public access
Full state directory
Other Grade C Lakes in North Carolina
Mesotrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ40 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory