Water Level - Last 12 Months
Based on 2024-2025 water level patterns. Lake has experienced lower levels due to drought conditions with levels ranging 1064-1069 ft.
Historical Records
About Lake Lanier
Lake Sidney Lanier is a man-made reservoir in northern Georgia, created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956. The lake was named after Georgia poet Sidney Lanier.
It covers approximately 38,000 acres of water with 692 miles of shoreline at full summer pool (elevation 1,071 feet above mean sea level). The primary purposes include flood control, hydropower generation, water supply for the Atlanta region, and recreation.
Lake Lanier attracts millions of visitors annually for boating, fishing, swimming, camping, and other activities. It features numerous parks, marinas, and resorts, and served as the venue for rowing and sprint canoeing events during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Water levels fluctuate seasonally: typically higher in winter/spring (recharge period) and lower in summer/fall due to higher demand and evaporation. Winter full pool is sometimes referenced as 1,070 feet for flood control.