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Blue Mud Boat Launch - Union County, Tennessee - May 17, 2014.jpg
David Ratledge · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lakes → Tennessee → Norris Lake

Norris Lake

Tennessee · Reservoir impounded 1936 · near Maynardville

33,840 acres 200 ft deep 20 ft clarity Water B
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6.1SCORE
Survey summary · Tennessee
33,840
Surface acres
200 ft
Max depth
809 mi
Shoreline
20 ft
Typical clarity
1,020 ft
Elevation
Blue Mud Boat Launch - Union County, Tennessee - May 17, 2014.jpg Norris Lake - Union County, Tennessee - May 17, 2014.jpg Norris Lake.jpg

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

Norris Lake covers 33,840 acres in Tennessee and drops to 200 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1936 and managed by TVA. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 20 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: Campbell/Union County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Deep water — 200 ft max
  • 809 miles of shoreline
  • Houseboating
  • Boating

Watch outs

  • Seasonal drawdown near 20 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
  • TVA Section 26a approval required for any shoreline structure

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 7.5
Recreation 7.2
Value 3.5
Access 7.3
Investment 4.7

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

Striped bassSmallmouth bassWalleyeCrappie

On the water

HouseboatingBoatingFishingDiving
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 · Norris Lake
20 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 20 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 94 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 538 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 200 ft max avg 64 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 200 ft, average 64 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityManaged Typical drawdown20 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity20 ft Water quality gradeB Elevation1,020 ft Managing authorityTVA
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 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

Campbell/Union County

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.
$855,000
Median waterfront
$6,247
Per shoreline foot
-1.9%
Year over year
150
Est. inventory
124
Avg days on market
$249
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy53% Booked nights / yr139 Gross revenue$42,734 Net operating income$17,599 Yield on median price2.06%
Open the full model →

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

$6,898
All-in per month
$194,770
Cash to close + setup
$16,145
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$82,771 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $54,058 (66%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $9,405 (12%) Property taxes $8,978 (11%) Hazard insurance $3,591 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (3%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$54,058
Property taxes$8,978
Hazard insurance$3,591
Flood insurance$650
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$9,405
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$82,771
Model your own numbers →

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