Holston River Lake
Hawkins County, TennesseeView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #3 of 3 in the county
- 102 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Holston River Lake in Hawkins County, Tennessee has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 64.5 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~102 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 64.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Holston River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Holston River Lake in Hawkins County, Tennessee — 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 Holston River Lake are listed below.
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Holston River Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hawkins County, Tennessee with an estimated average depth of about 102 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 8 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Hawkins County, Holston River Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TDEC, last sampled 2025-06-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Holston River Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch8 documented ramps
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Holston River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 64.5 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 64.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~102 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~88 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Tennessee has not published bathymetry for Holston River 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
- QuarryvillePublic
- John Sevier SteamplantPublic
- Caney CreekPublic
- Melinda FerryPublic
- Beech Creek (Northeast)Public
- Beech Creek (Southwest)Public
Showing 6 of 8 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 Holston River Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -10.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Holston River Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit TN06010104004_2000 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.4 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Hawkins County
Nearby Lakes in Hawkins County
Frequently asked questions about Holston River Lake
Where is Holston River Lake?
- Holston River Lake is a lake in Hawkins County, Tennessee. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Holston River Lake?
- Holston River Lake in Hawkins County, Tennessee has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 64.5 µg/L.
Is Holston River Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Holston River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Holston River Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Holston River Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 102 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 Holston River Lake?
- Holston River Lake has 8 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Quarryville, John Sevier Steamplant, Caney Creek, Melinda Ferry, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Holston River Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Tennessee's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Other Grade D Lakes in Tennessee
Eutrophic Lakes in Tennessee
Where this data comes from
11 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- TDEC Division of Water Resources
TDECWR_WQX11 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
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