Cherokee Lake Water Level
Tennessee · Holston River
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Water level history
About Cherokee Lake
Cherokee Lake is a reservoir on the Holston River in Tennessee, operated by Tennessee Valley Authority. Its full summer pool sits at 1075 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and update hourly.
Understanding Cherokee Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation Tennessee Valley Authority targets when Cherokee Lake is completely filled — 1075 feet above sea level. As an upstream storage reservoir, Cherokee Lake is filled toward 1075 ft for the summer season and then pulled well below it over winter so TVA has room to catch floods — one of the widest seasonal swings you'll find on any lake.
Cherokee Lake is usually near full from late spring into summer, then drops steadily through fall and winter to a low point before refilling in spring. If it looks low in December or January, that's the planned winter drawdown, not a drought.
The recent high and low above are drawn from the published history available for Cherokee Lake, so they show how today compares over that record rather than an all-time extreme. The 12-month and 5-year chart views make the trend and the lake's usual seasonal shape easy to see.
Cherokee Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Cherokee Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Cherokee Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
What is full pool for Cherokee Lake?
Cherokee Lake's full summer pool is 1075 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Cherokee Lake?
Cherokee Lake is operated by Tennessee Valley Authority on the Holston River.
Where is Cherokee Lake located?
Cherokee Lake is in Tennessee, on the Holston River.
Why is Cherokee Lake low right now?
Reservoir levels fall during dry spells and seasonal drawdown — when Tennessee Valley Authority lowers the pool for flood storage, power, or water supply — and recover after rain and snowmelt. The history chart above shows the recent trend.
What are the record high and low levels for Cherokee Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Cherokee Lake.
Other lakes near Cherokee Lake
- Lake BarkleyKY/TN
- Boone LakeTN
- Center Hill LakeTN
- Chickamauga LakeTN
- Dale Hollow LakeKY/TN
- Douglas LakeTN
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