Lake Blue Ridge
Fannin County, Georgia3,220 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · PCBs
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 72 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Blue Ridge in Fannin County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Surface area: 3220 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~72 ft est.
- Area
- 3,220 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.8 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Blue Ridge
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Blue Ridge in Fannin 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Blue Ridge
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Blue Ridge → · more Georgia lake trips
Watch Lake Blue Ridge’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Lake Blue Ridge is a 3,220-acre mesotrophic lake in Fannin County, Georgia with an estimated average depth of about 72 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2025-07-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Blue Ridge is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water3,220 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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. Lake Blue Ridge is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.8 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~72 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 3,220 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 Lake Blue Ridge.
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
- Morganton PointPublic
- Tammen ParkPublic
- Lake Blue Ridge MarinaPublic
- Lakewood LandingPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Lake Blue Ridge
- Morganton Point Campground3.1 km
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
Fishing Lake Blue Ridge
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Blue Ridge is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Blue Ridge Dam (completed 1930), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Toccoa River; earth-type dam, 183 ft tall and 1,000 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,220 ac
- Normal storage
- 182,436 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 228,045 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 232 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- TVA
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID GA11101 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Blue Ridge 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 GAR060200030117 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Fannin County
Nearby Lakes in Fannin County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Blue Ridge
Where is Lake Blue Ridge?
- Lake Blue Ridge is a lake in Fannin County, Georgia. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Blue Ridge?
- Lake Blue Ridge in Fannin County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Surface area: 3220 acres.
Is Lake Blue Ridge safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Blue Ridge is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Blue Ridge?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Blue Ridge, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 72 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 3220 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Blue Ridge?
- Lake Blue Ridge has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Morganton Point, Tammen Park, Lake Blue Ridge Marina, Lakewood Landing. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Blue Ridge?
- Lake Blue Ridge has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Morganton Point Campground. 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 Lake Blue Ridge across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 20.6 mi, nearest Cochrans Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Georgia's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Georgia's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Georgia Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Georgia
Mesotrophic Lakes in Georgia
Where this data comes from
455 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_WQX455 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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles