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Douglas Lake - Sevier County, Tennessee.jpg
Cpowers1831 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lakes → Tennessee → Douglas Lake

Douglas Lake

Tennessee · Reservoir impounded 1943 · near Dandridge

30,400 acres 140 ft deep 8 ft clarity Water D
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5.9SCORE
Survey summary · Tennessee
30,400
Surface acres
140 ft
Max depth
555 mi
Shoreline
8 ft
Typical clarity
1,002 ft
Elevation

Douglas Lake covers 30,400 acres in Tennessee and drops to 140 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1943 and managed by TVA. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 45 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: Sevier/Jefferson County; STR heavy. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • 555 miles of shoreline
  • Boating
  • Fishing

Watch outs

  • Seasonal drawdown near 45 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
  • Multi-year level volatility; review historical pool elevation before buying
  • TVA Section 26a approval required for any shoreline structure

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 4.5
Recreation 6.3
Value 4.8
Access 7.3
Investment 7.4

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

Largemouth bassCrappieCatfishWhite bass

On the water

BoatingFishingCamping
No USGS gauge on this lake. Water level and clarity figures below come from published lake management data rather than a live sensor.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs winter low · Douglas Lake
45 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 45 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 118 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 427 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 140 ft max avg 45 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 140 ft, average 45 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityVolatile Typical drawdown45 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateMesotrophic Typical clarity8 ft Water quality gradeD Elevation1,002 ft Managing authorityTVA
This lake moves. A drawdown near 45 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 authorityTVA Section 26a Wake / speed rulesNo-wake in coves
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with TVA Section 26a that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Sevier/Jefferson County; STR heavy

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.
$625,000
Median waterfront
$2,871
Per shoreline foot
+7.9%
Year over year
17
Est. inventory
71
Avg days on market
$763
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy42% Booked nights / yr110 Gross revenue$90,598 Net operating income$46,398 Yield on median price7.42%
Open the full model →

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

$5,339
All-in per month
$143,250
Cash to close + setup
$15,365
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$64,069 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $39,516 (63%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $6,875 (11%) Property taxes $6,562 (10%) Utilities $2,700 (4%) Hazard insurance $2,625 (4%) Flood insurance $2,400 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (2%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$39,516
Property taxes$6,562
Hazard insurance$2,625
Flood insurance$2,400
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$6,875
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$64,069
Model your own numbers →

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