High Falls Lake
Monroe County, Georgia573 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Metals (other than mercury)
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 28 ft max depth
- Public access
High Falls Lake in Monroe County, Georgia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23 µg/L. Surface area: 573 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~28 ft est.
- Area
- 573 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 40 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 23 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near High Falls Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near High Falls Lake in Monroe County, Georgia — 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around High Falls Lake are listed below.
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High Falls Lake is a 573-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Monroe County, Georgia with an estimated average depth of about 28 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Monroe County, High Falls Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2025-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What High Falls Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. High Falls Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 23 µg/L. TSI 60. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 40 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 23 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 573 acres |
| 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 High Falls 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
- High Falls State Park Lake (Buck Creek)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing High Falls Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 14 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.005 m/yr | 14 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.86 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.03 µg/L/yr | 14 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
High Falls Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the High Falls Lake Dam (completed 1904), built primarily for recreation on the Towaliga River; stone-type dam, 35 ft tall and 606 ft long.
- Surface area
- 573 ac
- Normal storage
- 8,600 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 12,470 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 131,840 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID GA02060 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
High Falls Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit GAR030701031119 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Monroe County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
High Falls Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Monroe County
Frequently asked questions about High Falls Lake
Where is High Falls Lake?
- High Falls Lake is a lake in Monroe County, Georgia. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for High Falls Lake?
- High Falls Lake in Monroe County, Georgia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23 µg/L. Surface area: 573 acres.
Is High Falls Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. High Falls Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is High Falls Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers High Falls Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 28 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 573 acres.
Are there boat ramps on High Falls Lake?
- High Falls Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include High Falls State Park Lake (Buck Creek). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore High Falls Lake across LakeQuality
2 thermal springs within 22.7 mi, nearest Taylor Spring
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Georgia's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Georgia's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Georgia Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Georgia
Eutrophic Lakes in Georgia
Where this data comes from
525 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division
21GAEPD_WQX525 samples · 2012–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory