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Center Hill Lake

Tennessee · Reservoir impounded 1948 · near Smithville

18,220 acres 190 ft deep 18 ft clarity Water B
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5.9SCORE
Survey summary · Tennessee
18,220
Surface acres
190 ft
Max depth
415 mi
Shoreline
18 ft
Typical clarity
648 ft
Elevation

Center Hill Lake covers 18,220 acres in Tennessee and drops to 190 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1948 and managed by USACE. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 25 feet, typically drawn down in winter. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Short-term rental posture: DeKalb County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Boating
  • Fishing

Watch outs

  • Seasonal drawdown near 25 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
  • USACE shoreline permitting — private dock approval is not guaranteed

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 7.1
Recreation 6.3
Value 3.5
Access 6.1
Investment 5.8

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Smallmouth bassWalleyeStriped bassTrout

On the water

BoatingFishingWaterfalls
No USGS gauge on this lake. We only publish a station when its own name matches this water body. Nearby gauges on other lakes would look like data and mislead you, so we show nothing instead. Why we do that.
18.28 ft
Gage height
2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs winter low · Center Hill Lake
25 ft FULL POOL WINTER LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 25 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 70 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 590 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 190 ft max avg 61 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 190 ft, average 61 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityManaged Typical drawdown25 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity18 ft Water quality gradeB Elevation648 ft Managing authorityUSACE
This lake moves. A drawdown near 25 feet changes dock reach, boat access, and the look of the shoreline. Tour in the low season, or at minimum look at the gauge history above before you offer.

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityUSACE Nashville District Wake / speed rulesNo-wake in coves
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with USACE Nashville District that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

DeKalb County

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$715,000
Median waterfront
$7,225
Per shoreline foot
+2.3%
Year over year
315
Est. inventory
131
Avg days on market
$355
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy48% Booked nights / yr126 Gross revenue$52,074 Net operating income$23,587 Yield on median price3.30%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Center Hill Lake actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$5,860
All-in per month
$163,410
Cash to close + setup
$14,605
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$70,322 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $45,206 (66%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $7,865 (11%) Property taxes $7,508 (11%) Hazard insurance $3,003 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$45,206
Property taxes$7,508
Hazard insurance$3,003
Flood insurance$650
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$7,865
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$70,322
Model your own numbers →

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