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Approach to Quartz Creek on Kenai Lake - panoramio.jpg

palm_ak · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lakes → Alaska → Kenai Lake

Kenai Lake

Alaska · Natural · near Cooper Landing

15,600 acres 540 ft deep 25 ft clarity Water A

Compare

6.8SCORE

Survey summary · Alaska

15,600

Surface acres

540 ft

Max depth

60 mi

Shoreline

25 ft

Typical clarity

436 ft

Elevation

Photographs of Kenai Lake via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.

Kenai Lake covers 15,600 acres in Alaska and drops to 540 feet at its deepest point. It is a natural lake, which generally means a more stable shoreline and fewer drawdown surprises than an impoundment. Water clarity averages around 25 feet, placing it among the clearer bodies of water in the country. Short-term rental posture: Allowed; borough permit. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

Exceptional clarity, roughly 25 ft
Deep water — 540 ft max
Fishing
Kayaking

Score breakdown

Water 8.5

Recreation 7.2

Value 3.5

Access 6.1

Investment 7.6

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

Sockeye salmonRainbow troutDolly VardenLake trout

On the water

FishingKayakingRaftingHiking

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 · Kenai Lake

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 4 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 57 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 581 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 540 ft, average 173 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityNatural Typical drawdown4 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity25 ft Water quality gradeA Elevation436 ft Managing authorityUS Forest Service

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityUSFS Chugach Wake / speed rulesOpen

A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with USFS Chugach that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Allowed; borough permit

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.

$590,000

Median waterfront

$7,877

Per shoreline foot

-2.5%

Year over year

265

Est. inventory

Avg days on market

$487

Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy70% Booked nights / yr184 Gross revenue$100,224 Net operating income$48,288 Yield on median price8.18%

Open the full model →

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

$4,934

All-in per month

$135,410

Cash to close + setup

$13,230

Beyond P&I, tax, insurance

Where the annual cost goes

Principal & interest $37,303 (65%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $6,490 (11%) Property taxes $6,195 (11%) Utilities $2,700 (5%) Hazard insurance $2,478 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (2%) Dock maintenance $900 (2%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest	$37,303
Property taxes	$6,195
Hazard insurance	$2,478
Flood insurance	$650
Utilities	$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)	$6,490
Septic service	$520
Well & water testing	$260
Dock maintenance	$900
Winterization / seasonal close	$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve	$960
Total	$59,206

Model your own numbers →

3.0 / 5 from 1 review

Depends heavily on your cove

Chris N. · Owner on the lake · Fall 2025

3/5

Main channel is fantastic. Some of the back coves get shallow and mucky by late summer. Walk the actual shoreline before you commit, not just the listing photos.