Lake Chelan covers 33,104 acres in Washington and drops to 1486 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 level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 20 feet, typically drawn down in autumn. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Water clarity averages around 30 feet, placing it among the clearer bodies of water in the country. Short-term rental posture: Chelan County; STR heavy. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.
What stands out
Exceptional clarity, roughly 30 ft
Deep water — 1486 ft max
Boating
Wineries
Watch outs
Seasonal drawdown near 20 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
Score breakdown
Water8.3
Recreation7.2
Value3.5
Access7.3
Investment6.6
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
Chinook salmonLake troutKokaneeBurbot
On the water
BoatingWineriesFishingStehekin
Live from LAKE CHELAN AT CHELAN, WA.
This is a lake or reservoir station measuring
reservoir elevation on this water body — direct sensor
readings, not estimates.
7.14 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 autumn low · Lake Chelan
The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats
and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 20 ft
figure is from published operations for this lake.
Where it is
True shoreline from USGS NHD
132 km²
The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset,
not an approximation — 519 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic
with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.
Depth profile
Idealized cross-section. Max depth 1,486 ft,
average 476 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry —
verify at the property.
This lake moves. A drawdown near
20 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 authorityChelan PUD / WA DNRWake / speed rulesNo-wake within 200ft
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with
Chelan PUD / WA DNR that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.
Short-term rental posture
Chelan County; STR heavy
Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
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.
$1,040,000
Median waterfront
$7,265
Per shoreline foot
-3.1%
Year over year
293
Est. inventory
137
Avg days on market
$554
Est. nightly rate
Rental snapshot
Modeled occupancy41%Booked nights / yr108Gross revenue$65,922Net operating income$32,412Yield on median price3.12%
Prices here are meaningfully lower than the lake an hour north for water that is nearly as clear. Fewer restaurants and services, which is the tradeoff.
Best family lake we found
Bill T. · Fall 2025
5/5
We looked at six lakes across three states before choosing this one. Sandy bottom in the swim areas, enough marina services, and it never feels crowded outside July.
Twenty years on this water
Bill T. · Owner on the lake · Spring 2026
5/5
We bought in 2005 and have never regretted it. The lake is busy on holiday weekends and quiet the rest of the time. Get a dock on the main channel if you can — the coves warm up and weed over by August.