Overview
Lake Chickamauga is a large reservoir located in southeastern Tennessee on the Tennessee River, stretching through the Chattanooga region as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority system. Completed in the 1940s, the lake covers approximately 36,000 acres and functions as an important component of regional hydropower generation, navigation, and flood control within the Tennessee River basin.
The shoreline is long and varied, featuring broad shallow flats, winding creek arms, and gently sloping to moderately steep banks. Extensive embayments, backwater areas, and defined river channels shape the basin, while a mix of residential development and undeveloped stretches creates diverse shoreline conditions. Submerged points, ledges, and transitional zones contribute to a structurally complex reservoir environment.
Lake Chickamauga supports a highly productive warmwater fishery with well-established populations of largemouth bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, catfish, and sauger. The lake is owned and managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which oversees water-level regulation, hydropower operations, and long-term resource management while maintaining navigation, public access, and recreational use.
On the Lake
Find key access points and services around Lake Chickamauga.