Lake Burton
Rabun County, Georgia2,775 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 87 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Burton in Rabun County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Surface area: 2775 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~87 ft est.
- Area
- 2,775 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.4 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Burton’s letter
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Lake Burton is a 2,775-acre mesotrophic lake in Rabun County, Georgia with an estimated average depth of about 87 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. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Rabun County, Lake Burton ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2025-08-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Burton is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
- Big water2,775 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.4 µg/L. TSI 44. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~87 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~49 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 2,775 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 Burton.
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
- Moccasin CreekPublic
- Moccasin CreekPublic
- Murray CovePublic
- Tallulah RiverPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Burton
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Burton is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Burton (completed 1927), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Tallulah River; gravity-type dam, 129 ft tall and 1,043 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,775 ac
- Normal storage
- 108,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 108,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 118 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Georgia Power Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID GA00864 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Rabun County
Nearby Lakes in Rabun County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Burton
Where is Lake Burton?
- Lake Burton is a lake in Rabun 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 Burton?
- Lake Burton in Rabun County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Surface area: 2775 acres.
Is Lake Burton safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Burton?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Burton, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 87 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 2775 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Burton?
- Lake Burton has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Moccasin Creek, Moccasin Creek, Murray Cove, Tallulah River. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Burton across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 10.3 mi, nearest Minnehaha Falls
15.1 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
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
413 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2013–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division
21GAEPD_WQX413 samples · 2013–2025
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory