Lake info & water levels
Lake Lanier is a reservoir managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and its level rises and falls with rainfall, drought, and dam operations — worth checking before you plan a trip.
Buford Dam power generation
When Buford Dam is generating, water moves through its turbines and current picks up below the dam and downriver — a big factor in the bite. Below is the most recently published hourly schedule for ….
How the lake level typically moves through the year
Lanier is held near full pool for the spring/summer recreation season, then drawn down through fall and winter for flood-control storage before spring rains recharge it. The dashed line is the typical illustrative pattern — the highlighted point is today's actual reading, pulled live from USGS.
Loading today's actual reading…
Sources: NWS Southeast River Forecast Center, USACE Mobile District, and live readings from USGS gauge 02334400.
Lake Lanier & Buford Dam
Full Pool Elevation
1,071 feet above mean sea level at normal full pool.
Surface Area
About 38,000 acres of water at full pool, with roughly 692 miles of shoreline.
Max Depth
Over 160 feet deep near Buford Dam, the deepest part of the lake.
Built 1950–1957
Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the dam and powerhouse were completed in stages through 1962.
Mobile District
Operated by the Army Corps for hydropower, flood control, water supply, and recreation.
North of Atlanta
About 30 minutes north of Atlanta, straddling Hall, Forsyth, Gwinnett, and Dawson counties.
Why lake level matters for fishing
Lake Lanier's level moves throughout the year with rainfall, drought, and Buford Dam's generation schedule. Falling water can expose points, humps, and brush piles that concentrate baitfish and stripers around them, while rising water can flood new cover along the banks. Generation schedule and current also affect how actively fish are feeding on a given day.
It's worth checking conditions before you head out — give Henry a call and he can help you read what the current level means for that day's bite.