Fontana Lake Water Level
North Carolina · Little Tennessee River
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Water level history
About Fontana Lake
Fontana Lake is a reservoir on the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina, operated by Tennessee Valley Authority. Its dam is the tallest in the eastern U.S. Its full summer pool sits at 1710 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and update hourly.
Understanding Fontana Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation Tennessee Valley Authority targets when Fontana Lake is completely filled — 1710 feet above sea level. As an upstream storage reservoir, Fontana Lake is filled toward 1710 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.
Fontana 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 Fontana 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.
Fontana Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Fontana Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Fontana Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
What is full pool for Fontana Lake?
Fontana Lake's full summer pool is 1710 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Fontana Lake?
Fontana Lake is operated by Tennessee Valley Authority on the Little Tennessee River.
Where is Fontana Lake located?
Fontana Lake is in North Carolina, on the Little Tennessee River.
Why is Fontana 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 Fontana Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Fontana Lake.
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