Watts Bar Lake

Meigs / Rhea / Roane / Loudon counties, TN, USA

Set midway between Knoxville and Chattanooga, Watts Bar Lake is a sprawling Tennessee River reservoir known for easy boating, great fishing, and family-friendly parks.

39,600 acres

Surface Area

108 ft

Max Depth

722 miles

Shoreline

1942

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About Watts Bar Lake

Watts Bar sits on the main stem of the Tennessee River, with long, navigable arms on the Clinch and Emory rivers plus numerous coves like White’s Creek and Piney Creek. Summer water levels are held close to full pool (about 740–741 ft), which keeps access dependable for marinas, ramps, and swimming areas.

Built rapidly between 1939 and January 1942, the dam and reservoir helped power the WWII effort (including nearby Oak Ridge). Today the lake extends 72.4 miles from the dam to Fort Loudoun Dam, offering 39,000+ acres of water and 700+ miles of shoreline for boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing.

Key Features

Swimming Areas

Boating & Water Sports

Fishing (Diverse Species)

Marinas & Boat Services

Roane County Park

Picnic Areas & Outdoor Leisure

Minimal Water Level Fluctuation

Wildlife Viewing

Quick facts (at-a-glance)

Location: East Tennessee on the Tennessee River; major tributaries include the Clinch & Emory rivers.
Length: 72.4 miles from Watts Bar Dam to Fort Loudoun Dam.
Shoreline: ~722 miles; area ~39,600 acres.
Typical summer elevation: ~740–741 ft; winter drawdown ~5–6 ft.
Built: Dam completed Jan 1942 (construction began 1939).
Fish diversity: 43 species observed in 2022 in TVA sampling.

Watts Bar Lake Vacation Homes For Rent

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Watts Bar Lake EVENT GUIDE

Coming Soon

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Watts Bar Lake DINING GUIDE

Coming Soon

What you can do there

Swimming Swim & relax at designated spots: TVA maintains public swim areas such as the beach at the Watts Bar Dam Reservation, and lakeside parks add roped swim zones and splash pads (great for kids). Always swim in designated areas and watch for boat traffic outside no-wake zones.

Boat, paddle & waterski: With long, wide channels and many coves, the lake is ideal for cruising, tubing, wake sports, and kayaking. A navigation lock at the dam connects you to other Tennessee River reservoirs for extended trips.

Fish year-round: Expect largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, catfish (blue, channel, flathead), stripers/hybrids, and seasonal walleye; TWRA stocks several species annually. Structure varies from rocky points to grassbeds and timber, keeping patterns fresh through the seasons.

Wildlife & birding: Osprey nest on channel markers and islands; bald eagles are regulars, especially near broad embayments and TVA small wild areas such as Thief Neck/Fooshee Peninsula. Bring binoculars.

Picnic & play: Lakeside parks—most with pavilions, grills, playgrounds, and trails—make easy half-day outings. Roane County Park is a favorite with a swimming area, paved trail, and disc golf.

Access, marinas & ramps

Full-service marinas (fuel, slips, food, lodging in some cases): Blue Springs Marina (Ten Mile), Euchee Marina Resort (Ten Mile/Spring City), Terrace View Marina (Spring City), and Caney Creek Marina & RV Resort (Harriman/Kingston area). These are clustered along Hwy 304 and around Spring City, giving broad coverage of the mid-lake.

Public launches (representative): Watts Bar Dam Reservation boat ramp (upstream of the dam), Tom Fuller Park (Rockwood), 58 Landing/Gravel Pit Park and Caney Creek Boat Launch (Kingston–Roane County). Local tourism maps list dozens more around the lake.

Swimming access: Watts Bar Dam Reservation has a designated swim beach; several county and city parks also maintain summer swim areas.

Safety & regulations

Boating education & PFDs. Tennessee residents born after Jan 1, 1989 need a Boating Safety Education Certificate. Children 12 and under must wear a USCG-approved life jacket on an open deck while underway.
No-wake rules. Operate at slow-no-wake within 300 ft of commercial docks/marinas and slow to no-wake within 100 ft of law-enforcement vessels displaying blue lights. Many marinas/park swim zones are posted no-wake—obey buoy markings.
Locks, current & barges. Expect commercial traffic and changing currents near Watts Bar Navigation Lock; give tows ample room and mind restricted zones around the dam and nuclear plant.
Fish consumption advisories. Portions of Watts Bar (particularly the Tennessee River and Clinch arm) have advisories—e.g., do not eat striped bass; precautionary limits on some catfish/sauger/white bass. Check TDEC’s latest advisory page before keeping fish.

Gallery

Nearby highlights & suggested day trips

Roane County waterfronts (Kingston, Rockwood, Harriman) for parks, greenways, and easy ramps.
Oak Ridge (≈30–45 min): Manhattan Project sites and museums pair well with a morning paddle or fish.
Knoxville or Chattanooga (each an easy day trip): urban dining, the Tennessee Aquarium (Chattanooga), UT campus & Market Square (Knoxville).
Cumberland Mountain & Frozen Head State Parks and the Obed Wild & Scenic River offer hiking and vistas within a broader 1–2 hour radius.

Events & community

Watts Bar hosts frequent regional bass and crappie tournaments (Phoenix BFL, Volunteer Bass Trail, Bunch Bash), plus local shoreline cleanups and waterfront festivals. Kingston’s “Smokin’ the Water” July 4th celebration draws crowds for live music and fireworks over the lake—classic small-town Tennessee summer.