Updated Jul 2026
Georgia Lake Water Quality
Water quality grades for 70 monitored lakes across 49 counties.
Across {{stateName}}, 70 lakes carry an active water-quality grade spread over 49 counties. The underlying measurements come from {{agency}}, alongside federal programs and volunteer monitoring networks. A-grade lakes are scarce in {{stateName}}: about 3% of the dataset. Most lakes here sit in C or D — productive, often shallow, frequently algal in late summer.
The state's lakes lean eutrophic: enough nutrient input to support an active algal community, with the trade-offs in clarity and dissolved oxygen that come with it. Washington ranks highest on average county grade (A). Richmond sits lowest. With only 49 counties in the state, the cross-county spread is narrower than the within-county spread for most lakes.
Grade Distribution
How Georgia’s 70 graded lakes break down from A (excellent) to F.
Top-Graded Georgia Lakes
The highest water-quality grades in Georgia — clarity, depth, and A-F grade at a glance.
Nla Lake
Washington County, Georgia
See grade for Nla Lake →Harl Lake
Harris County, Georgia
See grade for Harl Lake →Lake Worth
Dougherty County, Georgia
See grade for Lake Worth →Lake Blue Ridge
Fannin County, Georgia
See grade for Lake Blue Ridge →Goat Rock Lake
Harris County, Georgia
See grade for Goat Rock Lake →Lake Oliver
Muscogee County, Georgia
See grade for Lake Oliver →Lake Juliette
Monroe County, Georgia
See grade for Lake Juliette →Lake Harding
Harris County, Georgia
See grade for Lake Harding →Flint River Reservoir
Dougherty County, Georgia
See grade for Flint River Reservoir →Lake Map
Explore Georgia Lakes
Georgia reports, fishing & travel
Georgia Fishing & Recreation
Licenses, regulations, records, and where to fish across Georgia.
Counties
All 49 Georgia counties, ranked by average lake water quality. Compare them against every county nationwide in the county rankings, browse the full directory of graded lakes, or pick a different state.
Top 25 Cleanest Lakes
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nla Lake | Washington | A | 15.1 ft |
| 2 | Harl Lake | Harris | A | 6.2 ft |
| 3 | Lake Worth | Dougherty | B | 3.7 ft |
| 4 | Lake Blue Ridge | Fannin | B | 9.4 ft |
| 5 | Goat Rock Lake | Harris | B | 5.2 ft |
| 6 | Lake Oliver | Muscogee | B | 6.1 ft |
| 7 | Lake Juliette | Monroe | B | 8.5 ft |
| 8 | Lake Harding | Harris | B | 5.9 ft |
| 9 | Flint River Reservoir | Dougherty | B | 4.3 ft |
| 10 | Lake Sidney Lanier Upstream of Buford Dam Forebay | Gwinnett | B | 13.3 ft |
| 11 | Lake Nottely | Union | B | 8.9 ft |
| 12 | Harl Lake | Harris | B | 6.1 ft |
| 13 | Lake Lanier Upstream From Flowery Branch Confluence | Hall | B | 12.8 ft |
| 14 | Lake Burton | Rabun | B | 12.5 ft |
| 15 | Lake Rabun | Rabun | B | 10.8 ft |
| 16 | Clarks Hill Lake | Columbia | B | 7.9 ft |
| 17 | Lake Hartwell | Hart | B | 13.5 ft |
| 18 | Randy Poynter Lake | Rockdale | B | - |
| 19 | Lake Sidney Lanier | Hall | B | - |
| 20 | Nla Lake | Rabun | B | 5.6 ft |
| 21 | Nla Lake | Carroll | B | 5.7 ft |
| 22 | Nla Lake | Turner | B | 4.5 ft |
| 23 | Wesc Lake | Troup | C | 6 ft |
| 24 | Lake Oconee | Greene | C | 5.6 ft |
| 25 | Lake Jackson | Jasper | C | 4.6 ft |
25 Lakes Needing Attention
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nla Lake | Richmond | F | 1.1 ft |
| 2 | Nla Lake | Gwinnett | D | 3.2 ft |
| 3 | Nla Lake | Dodge | D | 3.4 ft |
| 4 | Nla Lake | Glynn | D | 2.9 ft |
| 5 | Nla Lake | Charlton | D | 0.5 ft |
| 6 | Nla Lake | Crawford | D | 1.5 ft |
| 7 | High Falls Lake | Monroe | D | 3.3 ft |
| 8 | Nla Lake | Wheeler | D | 2.8 ft |
| 9 | Nla Lake | Candler | D | 3.4 ft |
| 10 | Nla Lake | Henry | C | - |
| 11 | Nla Lake | Upson | C | 5.2 ft |
| 12 | Nla Lake | Sumter | C | 2.9 ft |
| 13 | Lake Richard B. Russell | Elbert | C | 6.6 ft |
| 14 | Clarks Hill Lake | Lincoln | C | 6.1 ft |
| 15 | Clarks Hill Lake | Lincoln | C | 6.7 ft |
| 16 | Lake Allatoona | Bartow | C | 5.6 ft |
| 17 | Lake Walter F. George | Quitman | C | 4.1 ft |
| 18 | Lake Allatoona | Cherokee | C | 4.6 ft |
| 19 | Banks Lake | Lanier | C | 3.2 ft |
| 20 | Lake Sidney Lanier | Hall | C | 7.5 ft |
| 21 | Lake Nottely | Union | C | 6.7 ft |
| 22 | Lake Sidney Lanier | Forsyth | C | 7.6 ft |
| 23 | Lake Sidney Lanier | Forsyth | C | 9.2 ft |
| 24 | Lake Oconee | Greene | C | 3.3 ft |
| 25 | Lake Allatoona | Cherokee | C | 3.8 ft |
Where to stay near Georgia
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.