Harl Lake
Harris County, Georgia5,850 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 4 in the county
- Public access
Harl Lake in Harris County, Georgia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Surface area: 5850 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.1 ft
- Area
- 5,850 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 13 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Harl Lake’s letter
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Harl Lake is a 5,850-acre mesotrophic lake in Harris County, Georgia. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Harris County, Harl Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2024-10-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Harl Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water5,850 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 6.1 ft. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.1 µg/L. TSI 46. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 5,850 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Harl Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Halawakee CreekPublic
- Po'Boy'sPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Harl Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 14 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.083 m/yr | 11 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.14 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.65 µg/L/yr | 11 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Harl Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bartletts Ferry, Main Dam (completed 1926), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Chattahoochee; gravity-type dam, 150 ft tall and 3,786 ft long.
- Surface area
- 5,850 ac
- Normal storage
- 183,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 183,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4,260 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Georgia Power Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID GA00830 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.52 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Harris County
Nearby Lakes in Harris County
Frequently asked questions about Harl Lake
Where is Harl Lake?
- Harl Lake is a lake in Harris County, Georgia. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Harl Lake?
- Harl Lake in Harris County, Georgia has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Surface area: 5850 acres.
Is Harl Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Harl Lake?
- Harl Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Halawakee Creek, Po'Boy's. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Harl Lake across LakeQuality
More Georgia Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Georgia
Mesotrophic Lakes in Georgia
Where this data comes from
100 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- ALABAMA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - WATER QUALITY DATA
21AWIC100 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory