North Carolina · Reservoir impounded 1923 · near Nebo
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Photographs of Lake James via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.
Lake James covers 6,510 acres in North Carolina and drops to 120 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1923 and managed by Duke Energy. Short-term rental posture: Burke/McDowell County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.
Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.
Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.
Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.
Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.
The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 6 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.
Idealized cross-section. Max depth 120 ft, average 38 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.
Burke/McDowell County
What a median-priced home on Lake James actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.
| Principal & interest | $41,413 |
| Property taxes | $6,878 |
| Hazard insurance | $2,751 |
| Flood insurance | $650 |
| Utilities | $2,700 |
| Maintenance reserve (1.1%) | $7,205 |
| Septic service | $520 |
| Well & water testing | $260 |
| Dock maintenance | $900 |
| Winterization / seasonal close | $750 |
| Shoreline / seawall reserve | $960 |
| Total | $64,986 |
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.
Beautiful clear water and the fishing is genuinely good. Be aware the level drops in the fall and our dock needed a longer walkway than we budgeted for. Not a dealbreaker, just plan for it.
