Smith Lake covers 21,200 acres in Alabama and drops to 264 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1961 and managed by Alabama Power. Short-term rental posture: Allowed; county rules vary. 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%.
The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 10 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.
Idealized cross-section. Max depth 264 ft, average 84 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.
Allowed; county rules vary
What a median-priced home on Smith Lake actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.
| Principal & interest | $31,929 |
| Property taxes | $5,302 |
| Hazard insurance | $2,121 |
| Flood insurance | $650 |
| Utilities | $2,700 |
| Maintenance reserve (1.1%) | $5,555 |
| Septic service | $520 |
| Well & water testing | $260 |
| Dock maintenance | $900 |
| Winterization / seasonal close | $750 |
| Shoreline / seawall reserve | $960 |
| Total | $51,647 |
Smallmouth and walleye both fish well. Water clarity has held up over the fifteen years we have been here, which I credit to the watershed protections.
