Santeetlah Lake
Graham County, North Carolina2,884 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #4 of 4 in the county
- 80 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Santeetlah Lake in Graham County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 14.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Surface area: 2884 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~80 ft est.
- Area
- 2,884 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Santeetlah Lake is a 2,884-acre mesotrophic lake in Graham County, North Carolina with an estimated average depth of about 80 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Graham County, Santeetlah Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NCDEQ, last sampled 2024-11-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Santeetlah Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.3 ft of visibility
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
- Big water2,884 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 14.3 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 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 | ~80 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~78 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 2,884 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. North Carolina has not published bathymetry for Santeetlah Lake.
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
- Avey CreekPublic
- Ranger StationPublic
- Cheoah PointPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Santeetlah Lake
- Lake Santeetlah Campsites1.2 km
- Cheoah Point Campground1.6 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 Santeetlah Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Santeetlah Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Santeetlah (completed 1928), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Cheoah; arch-type dam, 216 ft tall and 1,054 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,884 ac
- Normal storage
- 160,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 207,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 176 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Brookfield Renewable Energy Group (ARO)
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NC00392 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 4 lakes in Graham County
Nearby Lakes in Graham County
Frequently asked questions about Santeetlah Lake
Where is Santeetlah Lake?
- Santeetlah Lake is a lake in Graham County, North Carolina. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Santeetlah Lake?
- Santeetlah Lake in Graham County, North Carolina has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 14.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Surface area: 2884 acres.
Is Santeetlah Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Santeetlah Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Santeetlah Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 80 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 2884 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Santeetlah Lake?
- Santeetlah Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Avey Creek, Ranger Station, Cheoah Point. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Santeetlah Lake?
- Santeetlah Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lake Santeetlah Campsites, Cheoah Point 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 Santeetlah Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Carolina's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
North Carolina's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Great Smoky Mountains?
Santeetlah Lake is about 26 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Great Smoky Mountains →More North Carolina Lake Rankings
Ranked by overall water quality grade
Top 25 by Secchi water clarity
Grade A/B + low algae filter
Panfish-rich, public access
Full state directory
Other Grade C Lakes in North Carolina
Mesotrophic Lakes in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
57 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Carolina Dept of Environmental Quality NCDEQ-DWR WQX
21NC03WQ57 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- WSSSOP
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles