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Lake Burton

Georgia · Reservoir impounded 1919 · near Clayton

2,775 acres 110 ft deep 15 ft clarity Water B
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5.9SCORE
Survey summary · Georgia
2,775
Surface acres
110 ft
Max depth
62 mi
Shoreline
15 ft
Typical clarity
1,866 ft
Elevation

Lake Burton covers 2,775 acres in Georgia and drops to 110 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1919 and managed by Georgia Power. Short-term rental posture: Rabun County restrictions. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Boating
  • Fishing

Watch outs

  • Short-term rental rules are restrictive — do not assume rental income

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 7.5
Recreation 5.5
Value 3.5
Access 6.1
Investment 6.4

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

Spotted bassTroutWalleyeYellow perch

On the water

BoatingFishingSwimming
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 · Lake Burton
8 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 8 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 10 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 543 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 110 ft max avg 35 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 110 ft, average 35 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityManaged Typical drawdown8 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity15 ft Water quality gradeB Elevation1,866 ft Managing authorityGeorgia Power

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityGeorgia Power Shoreline Wake / speed rulesIdle near docks
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with Georgia Power Shoreline that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Rabun County restrictions

Restrictions apply and vary by jurisdiction. Verify at the municipal level before you offer.
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.
$555,000
Median waterfront
$8,141
Per shoreline foot
+6.3%
Year over year
78
Est. inventory
62
Avg days on market
$705
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy71% Booked nights / yr187 Gross revenue$142,332 Net operating income$72,245 Yield on median price13.02%
Open the full model →

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

$4,674
All-in per month
$127,570
Cash to close + setup
$12,845
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$56,094 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $35,090 (64%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $6,105 (11%) Property taxes $5,828 (11%) Utilities $2,700 (5%) Hazard insurance $2,331 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (2%) Dock maintenance $900 (2%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$35,090
Property taxes$5,828
Hazard insurance$2,331
Flood insurance$650
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$6,105
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$56,094
Model your own numbers →

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