Great Falls Lake Water Level
Tennessee · Caney Fork River
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Water level history
About Great Falls Lake
Great Falls Lake is a reservoir on the Caney Fork River in Tennessee, operated by Tennessee Valley Authority. Its dam, completed in 1916, is the oldest in the TVA system. Its full summer pool sits at 805 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and update hourly.
Understanding Great Falls Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation Tennessee Valley Authority targets when Great Falls Lake is completely filled — 805 feet above sea level. As an upstream storage reservoir, Great Falls Lake is filled toward 805 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.
Great Falls 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 Great Falls 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.
Great Falls Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Great Falls Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Great Falls Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
What is full pool for Great Falls Lake?
Great Falls Lake's full summer pool is 805 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Great Falls Lake?
Great Falls Lake is operated by Tennessee Valley Authority on the Caney Fork River.
Where is Great Falls Lake located?
Great Falls Lake is in Tennessee, on the Caney Fork River.
Why is Great Falls 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 Great Falls Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Great Falls Lake.
Other lakes near Great Falls Lake
- Lake BarkleyKY/TN
- Boone LakeTN
- Center Hill LakeTN
- Cherokee LakeTN
- Chickamauga LakeTN
- Dale Hollow LakeKY/TN
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