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Summersville Lake

West Virginia · Reservoir impounded 1966 · near Summersville

2,790 acres 327 ft deep 30 ft clarity Water B
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6.0SCORE
Survey summary · West Virginia
2,790
Surface acres
327 ft
Max depth
60 mi
Shoreline
30 ft
Typical clarity
1,652 ft
Elevation

Summersville Lake covers 2,790 acres in West Virginia and drops to 327 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1966 and managed by USACE. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 75 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: Nicholas County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Exceptional clarity, roughly 30 ft
  • Deep water — 327 ft max
  • Scuba diving
  • Boating

Watch outs

  • Seasonal drawdown near 75 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
  • Multi-year level volatility; review historical pool elevation before buying
  • USACE shoreline permitting — private dock approval is not guaranteed

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 7.1
Recreation 6.4
Value 4.9
Access 6.1
Investment 4.9

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

Smallmouth bassWalleyeTroutCatfish

On the water

Scuba divingBoatingClimbingFishing
No USGS gauge on this lake. We only publish a station when its own name matches this water body. Nearby gauges on other lakes would look like data and mislead you, so we show nothing instead. Why we do that.
22.70 deg C
Temperature
2026-08-04
11.54 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 · Summersville Lake
75 ft FULL POOL AUTUMN 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 75 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 11 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 548 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 327 ft max avg 105 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 327 ft, average 105 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityVolatile Typical drawdown75 ft Drawdown seasonAutumn Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity30 ft Water quality gradeB Elevation1,652 ft Managing authorityUSACE
This lake moves. A drawdown near 75 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 authorityUSACE Huntington District Wake / speed rulesNo-wake in coves
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with USACE Huntington District that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Nicholas 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.
$680,000
Median waterfront
$2,832
Per shoreline foot
+2.0%
Year over year
293
Est. inventory
143
Avg days on market
$408
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy38% Booked nights / yr100 Gross revenue$46,518 Net operating income$21,701 Yield on median price3.19%
Open the full model →

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

$5,747
All-in per month
$155,570
Cash to close + setup
$15,970
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$68,959 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $42,993 (64%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $7,480 (11%) Property taxes $7,140 (11%) Hazard insurance $2,856 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (4%) Flood insurance $2,400 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$42,993
Property taxes$7,140
Hazard insurance$2,856
Flood insurance$2,400
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$7,480
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$68,959
Model your own numbers →

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