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Smith Mountain Lake

Virginia · Reservoir impounded 1966 · near Moneta

20,600 acres 250 ft deep 12 ft clarity Water C
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6.4SCORE
Survey summary · Virginia
20,600
Surface acres
250 ft
Max depth
500 mi
Shoreline
12 ft
Typical clarity
795 ft
Elevation

Smith Mountain Lake covers 20,600 acres in Virginia and drops to 250 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1966 and managed by Appalachian Power. Short-term rental posture: Bedford/Franklin County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Deep water — 250 ft max
  • 500 miles of shoreline
  • Boating
  • Fishing

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 6.4
Recreation 7.2
Value 4.5
Access 7.3
Investment 6.5

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 bassLargemouth bassSmallmouth bassCrappie

On the water

BoatingFishingGolfSailing
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 · Smith Mountain Lake
4 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 4 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 80 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 524 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 250 ft max avg 80 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 250 ft, average 80 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityStable Typical drawdown4 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateMesotrophic Typical clarity12 ft Water quality gradeC Elevation795 ft Managing authorityAppalachian Power

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityAppalachian Power Shoreline Wake / speed rulesNo-wake within 50ft
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with Appalachian Power Shoreline that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Bedford/Franklin 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.
$290,000
Median waterfront
$4,012
Per shoreline foot
-1.4%
Year over year
165
Est. inventory
143
Avg days on market
$802
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy55% Booked nights / yr145 Gross revenue$124,277 Net operating income$63,984 Yield on median price22.06%
Open the full model →

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

$2,726
All-in per month
$68,210
Cash to close + setup
$9,930
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$32,710 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $18,335 (59%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $3,190 (10%) Property taxes $3,045 (10%) Utilities $2,700 (9%) Hazard insurance $1,400 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (3%) Dock maintenance $900 (3%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (2%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$18,335
Property taxes$3,045
Hazard insurance$1,400
Flood insurance$650
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$3,190
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$32,710
Model your own numbers →
3.0 / 5 from 1 review
Depends heavily on your cove
A. Whitfield · Owner on the lake · Summer 2026
3/5

Main channel is fantastic. Some of the back coves get shallow and mucky by late summer. Walk the actual shoreline before you commit, not just the listing photos.

For sale

Homes on Smith Mountain Lake

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