Lake Allatoona Water Level
Georgia · Etowah River
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Water level history
About Lake Allatoona
Lake Allatoona is a reservoir on the Etowah River in Georgia, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It ranks among the nation's most-visited Corps lakes, just northwest of Atlanta. Its full summer pool sits at 840 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from USGS gauge 02393500 and update every 15 to 60 minutes.
Understanding Lake Allatoona's water level
Lake Allatoona, just northwest of Atlanta on the Etowah River, is a working flood-control reservoir, and its level follows a real seasonal schedule rather than staying put. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers holds it at a summer pool of 840 feet above sea level for recreation, then lowers it to a winter pool of about 823 feet, a deliberate drawdown of roughly 17 feet, to open up storage space for winter and spring storms. That yearly rise and fall has been the operating pattern since 1957, so a lake that looks low in January is usually right on schedule, not in trouble.
On top of that seasonal cycle, Allatoona carries seven authorized jobs at once: flood control, hydropower, water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife, water quality, and navigation. That means the Corps is constantly balancing releases. During major droughts the lake has dropped as much as 13 feet below its summer target as inflows from the Etowah shrink and downstream demands continue. Its most striking modern low, in the 1986 drought, pulled the water down far enough to expose the lakebed, revealing tree stumps, old roads, and even house foundations that are normally deep underwater.
High water is managed just as carefully. The record high was 861.19 feet in April 1964, and because lakeside boat ramps and facilities begin flooding well below the maximum flood stage of 863 feet, the Corps works to move storm water through before it reaches that point. For the crowds at Allatoona's eight marinas, fifteen public ramps, two yacht clubs, and Red Top Mountain State Park, the practical takeaway is simple: expect the lake near 840 in summer and closer to 823 in winter, and treat anything well outside that band as a sign of drought or a passing flood.
Lake Allatoona — frequently asked
Why does Lake Allatoona's water level change through the year?
Allatoona is a Corps flood-control lake, so it is deliberately lowered about 17 feet from its 840-foot summer pool to roughly 823 feet in winter to create empty storage for winter and spring storms, then refilled for the summer recreation season. This schedule has been in place since 1957.
What are Lake Allatoona's summer and winter pool levels?
Summer pool is 840 feet above sea level and the winter drawdown pool is about 823 feet, a planned swing of roughly 17 feet.
Is Lake Allatoona low because of drought or just the winter drawdown?
A low reading in winter is usually the normal scheduled drawdown. A true drought pulls the lake further, as much as 13 feet below the summer pool. The 1986 drought was severe enough to expose parts of the lakebed.
What happens when Lake Allatoona gets very low?
In the 1986 drought the water dropped far enough to reveal tree stumps, old roads, and house foundations that are normally submerged. At lower levels the shallowest boat ramps end short of the water, so boaters check which ramps still reach the lake.
What happens when Lake Allatoona is high?
The record high was 861.19 feet in April 1964. Because ramps and lakeside facilities start flooding well below the 863-foot maximum flood stage, the Corps releases water to draw the lake back down after big storms rather than letting it climb to that ceiling.
What is Lake Allatoona used for?
It serves seven purposes: flood control, hydropower, water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife, water quality, and navigation. For visitors it is a busy metro-Atlanta recreation lake with eight marinas, fifteen public ramps, two yacht clubs, and Red Top Mountain State Park on its shore.
Other lakes near Lake Allatoona
- Lake Blue RidgeGA
- Carters LakeGA
- Lake ChatugeGA/NC
- Lake HartwellGA/SC
- J. Strom Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill)GA/SC
- Lake LanierGA
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