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Wateree Lake

Great Falls, South Carolina — Kershaw County.

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11,756Surface acres
4Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 130875175).

Location & fast facts

Where Wateree Lake is in South Carolina

The red circle marks Wateree Lake.

Fast facts

About Wateree Lake

  • Counties: Kershaw, Fairfield, Lancaster
  • Nearest city: Great Falls (about 1.2 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 34 mi from Columbia and 97 mi from Greenville, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (South Carolina: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in South Carolina

Official SCDNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 4 public trailer launches listed (see access)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Whorled hydrilla and Chinese mysterysnail recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

Wateree Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)41 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 130875175), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Wateree Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (34.4376, -80.7712). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Wateree Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Wateree Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    4 public access sites listed, 4 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.3357, -80.7071
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.4329, -80.8582
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.4241, -80.8679
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating34.3827, -80.7880

    OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Wateree Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Wateree Lake

    How big is Wateree Lake?

    Wateree Lake covers about 11,756 acres in Great Falls, South Carolina (Kershaw County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Wateree Lake?

    Yes. 4 public trailer launches are listed: Boat ramp, Boat ramp and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    What towns are on Wateree Lake?

    Wateree Lake touches Great Falls in Kershaw County, Fairfield County and Lancaster County, South Carolina.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Wateree Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All South Carolina lakes & ponds · All waters in Great Falls