Overview
Lake Jocassee is a deep, clear mountain reservoir in Oconee and Pickens counties in the extreme northwestern corner of South Carolina, extending toward the North Carolina line. Completed in 1973, it is owned and operated by Duke Energy as the upper reservoir of the Keowee-Toxaway hydroelectric project, providing hydropower and pumped-storage generation in conjunction with the Jocassee and Bad Creek stations.
Covering about 7,500 acres with roughly 75 miles of steep, largely undeveloped shoreline, Lake Jocassee is one of the deepest lakes in the region, plunging to more than 300 feet. Fed by the free-flowing Horsepasture, Toxaway, Whitewater, and Thompson rivers cascading out of the Blue Ridge escarpment, it is renowned for cold, exceptionally clear water and dramatic waterfalls that pour directly into the lake.
Jocassee's cold, deep water supports a distinctive fishery for trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and spotted bass, and the lake is a prized destination for boating, diving, paddling, and waterfall touring, much of it accessed through Devils Fork State Park. Fisheries are managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).
Water levels on Lake Jocassee are managed by Duke Energy as part of the Keowee-Toxaway project and reported against a relative full-pond gauge. Because Jocassee is a pumped-storage reservoir, water is cycled between it and Lake Keowee below, and levels can rise and fall with generation as well as rainfall and drought. Monitoring current lake levels is important for boating safety, fishing, and access to ramps and shorelines throughout the year.
Current Conditions
Lake Jocassee is currently 11.13 feet below full pool and has been falling over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 1.59 ft
- 30-day changeDown 1.02 ft
- Drought conditionsAbnormally Dry
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Lake Jocassee is a 7,500-acre reservoir on the Horsepasture managed by Duke Energy.