| Lake Chatuge | |
|---|---|
 Lake Chatuge reservoir on Aug. 3, 2022 | |
  Lake Chatuge  Lake Chatuge | |
| Location | United States |
| Coordinates | 34°59′28″N83°47′06″W / 34.991°N 83.785°W /34.991; -83.785 |
| Surface area | 10.9 sq mi (28 km2) |
| Average depth | 9.1 m (30 ft) |
| Max. depth | 44 m (144 ft) at dam |
| Water volume | 62,619 m3 (2,211,400 cu ft) maximum |
| Shore length1 | 132 mi (212 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,926 ft (587 m)[1] |
| Settlements | Hayesville,Hiawassee, |
| 1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Chatuge is a man-made reservoir inTowns County,Georgia, andClay County,North Carolina. It was formed by theTennessee Valley Authority's construction ofChatuge Dam (then the highest earthen dam in the world) in 1942.[2][3] The lake is relatively shallow with depths of 30 feet (9.1 m) and reaches 144 feet (44 m) by the dam. In an average year the water level varies 10 feet (3.0 m) from winter to summer to provide seasonal flood storage.[4] Lake Chatuge is the highest major lake in the state of Georgia.[5] It takes up 7,000 acres (2,800 ha) and is 13 miles (21 km) long.[6][4]
The lake is named after an 18th-centuryCherokeeNative American settlement once located near the dam site.[4][7] The word means “Beautiful” and “Land where the waters meet” (the lake covers the meeting place of theHiwassee River and Shooting Creek).[3] The reservoir is home to rainbow trout, catfish, bass, crappie, walleye, blue gill and brim. Bass clubs hold tournaments on the lake.[3]
The construction of Chatuge Dam and its reservoir required the purchase of 11,641 acres (4,711 ha) of land, 1,904 acres (771 ha) of which had to be cleared. 278 families, 532 graves, and 40 miles (64 km) of roads (including part ofU.S. Route 64 and all ofNC 69) had to be relocated.[8] One house relocated from the Elf community during the clearing of the land later became theClay County School District superintendent’s office until 2005. The TVA delayed its plans to fill the lake after a 92-year-old resident suffered a severe stroke and could not be removed from his homestead without dying. After he died the next month, Chatuge Dam's flood gates were closed.[3] In 2025, TVA acknowledged that ancient burial grounds may be covered by the lake.[9]
The total cost of creating Chatuge Lake was $8,874,866.[8] Chatuge Dam was raised ten feet in 1954 so the lake level could rise an additional four feet.[3][10]
In 2024, TVA announced it was investigating an infestation of the invasiveMyriophyllum aquaticum plant that was threatening the lake.[11]