Mesotrophic Lakes in Tennessee
4 mesotrophic lakes in Tennessee. Moderate nutrients, good water quality.
Most well-managed working lakes register as mesotrophic — the band that balances productivity with clarity. 4 lakes in Tennessee sit in the mesotrophic band. About 0% are deep (50+ ft); the rest are shallower basins where watershed management keeps nutrients from pushing the system into eutrophy.
Mesotrophic lakes tend to grade B or C on our A–F scale — the productive-but-clear band lines up with the middle of the letter grades.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Depth | TSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piney River Lake | Rhea | B | 6.4 ft | - | 48 |
| 2 | Calderwood Lake | Blount | C | 16.4 ft | - | 43 |
| 3 | Poor Valley Creek Lake | Hawkins | C | - | - | 47 |
| 4 | Emory River Lake | Roane | C | - | - | 49 |
All mesotrophic lakes →Minnesota version →Wisconsin version →Illinois version →Michigan version →Iowa version →Ohio version →Pennsylvania version →New York version →Missouri version →Indiana version →North Dakota version →South Dakota version →Florida version →Colorado version →North Carolina version →Vermont version →Texas version →Oregon version →Arkansas version →Oklahoma version →Kansas version →Nebraska version →Nevada version →Arizona version →Idaho version →Montana version →New Mexico version →Alabama version →Virginia version →Kentucky version →Utah version →Washington version →Wyoming version →Georgia version →Massachusetts version →Ontario version →Québec version →Nova Scotia version →British Columbia version →Newfoundland and Labrador version →All Tennessee lakes →
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.