Tennessee River Lake
Jackson County, AlabamaView mapDirections
ADEM publishes the water-quality measurements for Tennessee River Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
Tennessee River Lake in Jackson County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36.9 µg/L.
Tennessee River Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Alabama. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Tennessee River Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2026-06-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
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. Tennessee River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Tennessee River Lake 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 Tennessee River Lake
These are the measurements ADEM publishes for Tennessee River Lake, 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 6.5 ft. Phosphorus 36.9 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 36.9µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Tennessee River Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Tennessee River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tennessee River Lake in Jackson County, Alabama — 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Tennessee River Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Tennessee River Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Alabama’s top lakes →
Follow Tennessee River Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Tennessee River Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 15 years of monitoring (2012–2026).
Water clarity
Stable13 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.92 µg/L/yr15 years
EPA Impairment Status
Tennessee River Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit AL06030001-0205-102 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Tennessee River Lake
Where is Tennessee River Lake?
- Tennessee River Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Alabama. Its water-quality measurements are published by ADEM and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Tennessee River Lake?
- Tennessee River Lake in Jackson County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36.9 µg/L.
Is Tennessee River Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Tennessee River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Can I fish at Tennessee River Lake?
- Public access to Tennessee River Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Alabama's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Tennessee River Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Little River Canyon?
Tennessee River Lake is about 40 miles from Little River Canyon National Preserve. 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 Little River Canyon →More lakes in Alabama
Other Lakes in Alabama
Eutrophic Lakes in Alabama
Where this data comes from
152 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- TDEC Division of Water Resources
TDECWR_WQX152 samples · 2012–2026
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P H ~ Manual Digestion and Flow Injection Analysis for Total Phosphorus
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
- 2120 C ~ Color in Water by Spectrophotometry
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database