Lake Jackson
Jasper County, Georgia4,500 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · PCBs
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Jackson in Jasper County, Georgia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17 µg/L. Surface area: 4500 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~40 ft est.
- Area
- 4,500 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 24.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 17 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Jackson
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Jackson in Jasper 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 Lake Jackson are listed below.
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Watch Lake Jackson’s letter
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Lake Jackson is a 4,500-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jasper County, Georgia with an estimated average depth of about 40 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2025-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Jackson is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water4,500 acres
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. Lake Jackson is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17 µg/L. TSI 55. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 17 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~40 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 4,500 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 Jackson.
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
- LLoyd Shoals DamPublic
- Lloyd Shoals ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Jackson
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Jackson is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lloyd Shoals (completed 1911), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Ocmulgee; gravity-type dam, 105 ft tall and 1,600 ft long.
- Surface area
- 4,500 ac
- Normal storage
- 97,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 107,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,400 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Georgia Power Company
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID GA00873 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Jackson is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit GAR030701030904 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Jasper County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Jackson holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Jasper County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Jackson
Where is Lake Jackson?
- Lake Jackson is a lake in Jasper County, Georgia. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Jackson?
- Lake Jackson in Jasper County, Georgia has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17 µg/L. Surface area: 4500 acres.
Is Lake Jackson safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Jackson is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Jackson?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Jackson, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 40 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 4500 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Jackson?
- Lake Jackson has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include LLoyd Shoals Dam, Lloyd Shoals Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Jackson across LakeQuality
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Other Grade D Lakes in Georgia
Eutrophic Lakes in Georgia
Where this data comes from
523 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_WQX523 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