Lake Oconee
Greene County, GeorgiaView mapDirections
Georgia EPD publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Oconee. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
Lake Oconee in Greene County, Georgia has water-quality measurements published by Georgia EPD, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.9 µg/L.
Lake Oconee is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Greene County, Georgia. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Greene County, Lake Oconee ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2025-10-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lake Oconee has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lake Oconee on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lake Oconee is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Oconee is safe to swim in today is a call for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Oconee
These are the measurements Georgia EPD publishes for Lake Oconee, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.9 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.9µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Oconee
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Long ShoalsPublic
- Double BranchesPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Oconee
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Oconee in Greene 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 Oconee
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Lake Oconee
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 13 years of monitoring (2012–2025).
Water clarity
Stable13 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.3 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.32 µg/L/yr13 years
Nearby Lakes in Greene County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Oconee
Where is Lake Oconee?
- Lake Oconee is a lake in Greene County, Georgia. Its water-quality measurements are published by Georgia EPD and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Oconee?
- Lake Oconee in Greene County, Georgia has water-quality measurements published by Georgia EPD, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.9 µg/L.
Is Lake Oconee safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Oconee?
- Lake Oconee has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Long Shoals, Double Branches. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Oconee?
- Lake Oconee has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Georgia's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lake Oconee across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
232 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division
21GAEPD_WQX232 samples · 2012–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory