Overview
South Holston Lake is a 7,580-acre reservoir on the South Fork Holston River spanning Sullivan County, Tennessee, and Washington County, Virginia. It was created in 1950 when the Tennessee Valley Authority completed South Holston Dam for hydropower and flood control. The deep mountain reservoir is one of the most scenic lakes in the upper Holston system.
Stretching about 23 miles with roughly 182 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth near 245 feet, South Holston is a clear, cool-water lake ringed by forested ridges. The pool typically fluctuates about 30 feet from summer to winter for seasonal flood storage, and its cold, deep water supports a strong trout fishery in the dam tailwaters.
The lake is prized for smallmouth bass, walleye, and trout fishing, with fisheries managed cooperatively by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. TVA and state access areas, ramps, and marinas serve both states.
Water levels on South Holston Lake are managed by TVA around a summer full pool of 1,729 feet above mean sea level, with a substantial winter drawdown for flood storage. Releases feed Boone Lake downstream, so elevations change seasonally and with rainfall and generation; monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and shoreline access.
Current Conditions
South Holston Lake is currently 1.1 feet below full pool and has risen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.33 ft
- 30-day changeUp 4.18 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
- Active advisories1 active (Notice)
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
South Holston Lake is a 7,580-acre reservoir on the South Fork Holston River managed by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).