Lake Rabun
Rabun County, GeorgiaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 59 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Rabun in Rabun County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 10.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 10.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~59 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.7 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Rabun’s letter
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Lake Rabun is a mesotrophic lake in Rabun County, Georgia with an estimated average depth of about 59 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Rabun County, Lake Rabun ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Georgia EPD, last sampled 2025-08-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Rabun is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.9 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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 Rabun is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, metals (other than mercury). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.9 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~59 ft est. |
| 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 Rabun.
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
- Hall's MarinaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Lake Rabun
- Lake Rabun Beach Campground3.7 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 Rabun
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 13 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.025 m/yr | 12 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.12 µg/L/yr | 13 |
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Rabun 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 GAR030601020110 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Rabun County
Nearby Lakes in Rabun County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Rabun
Where is Lake Rabun?
- Lake Rabun 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 Rabun?
- Lake Rabun in Rabun County, Georgia has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 10.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L.
Is Lake Rabun safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Rabun is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, metals (other than mercury). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Rabun?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Rabun, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 59 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 Lake Rabun?
- Lake Rabun has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hall's Marina. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Rabun?
- Lake Rabun has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lake Rabun Beach 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 Rabun across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 14.7 mi, nearest Minnehaha 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
390 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_WQX390 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
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