Lake Wedowee
Randolph County, Alabama10,661 acresView mapDirections
ADEM publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Wedowee. Here is what has been measured.
- Public access
- Limited data
Ask about Lake Wedowee
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Wedowee in Randolph County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Surface area: 10661 acres.
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Lake Wedowee is a 10,661-acre lake in Randolph County, Alabama. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2022-12-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Wedowee is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water10,661 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Wedowee is safe to swim in today is a call for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Wedowee
These are the measurements ADEM publishes for Lake Wedowee, 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 5.9 ft. TSI 52.
| Metric | Value | EPA condition class |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.9 ft | Measured, not scored |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 10,661 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Wedowee, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Highway 48 BridgePublic
- SwaggPublic
- White's BridgePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Wedowee
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.075 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.11 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Wedowee is a man-made reservoir impounded by the R. L. Harris (completed 1983), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Tallapoosa River; gravity-type dam, 163 ft tall and 2,142 ft long.
- Surface area
- 10,661 ac
- Normal storage
- 426,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 426,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,453 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Alabama Power Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AL83001 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Randolph County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Wedowee
Where is Lake Wedowee?
- Lake Wedowee is a lake in Randolph County, Alabama. Its water-quality measurements are published by ADEM and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Wedowee?
- Lake Wedowee in Randolph County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Surface area: 10661 acres.
Is Lake Wedowee 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 Wedowee?
- Lake Wedowee has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Highway 48 Bridge, Swagg, White's Bridge. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Wedowee across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
301 measurements from 16 monitoring stations, 2012–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Alabama Water Watch
AWW_WQX301 samples · 2012–2022
Analytical methods
- AWW QAPP
Monitoring station identifiers (16)
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