Level of the Lake
updated 12:15 PM EDT

What 1,064.22 ft means on Lake Lanier

We haven’t compiled ramp minimums for Lake Lanier yet.

If you run a ramp or marina here and know a ramp’s lowest usable level, please send it to contact@handhewn.works. The level ranges and NWS stages below still apply.

What each level means

Approximate. Based on published thresholds (ramp minimums, full pool, spillway, records), but every cove is different.

  1. Top of flood poolabove 1,085.00 ft

    Above 1,085 ft the flood pool is exhausted and gated spillway operations at Buford Dam are in play. Never reached; the record is 1,077.15 ft (Apr 14, 1964).

  2. In flood storage1,072.00–1,085.00 ft

    More than a foot over full pool, the Corps is storing floodwater; expect higher releases, debris, and closed low-lying park areas.

  3. Near full1,066.00–1,072.00 ft

    Docks, marinas, and ramps in good shape. Full (summer) pool is 1,071 ft; the lake often runs a little over it.

  4. First pinch points1,060.00–1,066.00 ftnow · 1,064.22 ft

    Shallow coves and some dock slips start feeling it; a few park ramps get marginal.

  5. Widespread low-water impact1,055.00–1,060.00 ft

    Many coves unusable, numerous ramps closed, marinas relocating slips, as in 2007–08.

  6. Extreme drawdownbelow 1,055.00 ft

    The record low is 1,050.79 ft (Dec 26, 2007). In 2007 much of the lake's recreation infrastructure was out of the water.

NWS flood stages for the lake

NWS judges flooding on Lake Lanier by the lake’s own level at gauge CMMG1. Its action stage (1,071.00 ft) is within a foot of full pool (1,071.00 ft), where the lake is just full, so the ladder shows full pool instead.

Minor flood1,085.00 ftFull pool1,071.00 ft1,059.00 ftnow · 1,064.22 ft

now = lake gauge · 12:15 PM EDT