Lake Chatuge which travels between Hiawassee Georgia and Hayesville North Carolina. The entire lake is approximately 7,200 acres, 3,700 of which are in Clay County. The Weir, just north of the dam, offers picnic tables and a launch for canoes and tubes for a trip on the Hiawassee River to a take out area near Fires Creek Wildlife Management Area.
There are three public boat ramps on the North Carolina side of Lake Chatuge: Jackrabbit Mountain Campground, off Hwy 175; Gibson Cove Campground, off Myers Chapel Road; and Ledford Chapel Wildlife Access Ramp, on Hwy 64.
Thirty-two species of fish inhabit Lake Chatuge, with Small Mouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, spotted Bass, Sunfish and White Bass predominating. Striped White Bass hybrids are stocked annually.
Fishing licenses are required for all except residents using digestible bait, whether fishing in streams or the lake; short-term licenses are available for visitors.
Lake Chatuge Facts and Figures:
Construction of Chatuge Dam began in 1941 and was completed in 1942.
Lake Chatuge was originally built to store water to help prevent flooding downstream. A single hydropower generating unit was added in 1954.
The level of water in Chatuge Reservoir varies about 9 feet during the course of a normal year.
Chatuge Dam is 144 feet high and stretches 2,850 feet across the Hiwassee River.
Chatuge has a flood-storage capacity of 62,619 acre-feet.The generating capacity of Chatuge Dam is 10,000 kilowatts of electricity.
For more information: Licenses 919-662-4370
Water conditions and Release Schedules: 828-837-7395.
