Lake Hartwell Water Level
Georgia & South Carolina · Savannah River
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Water level history
About Lake Hartwell
Lake Hartwell is a reservoir on the Savannah River in Georgia & South Carolina, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It spans roughly 56,000 acres and 962 miles of shoreline on the Georgia–South Carolina line. Its full summer pool sits at 660 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from USGS gauge 02187010 and update every 15 to 60 minutes.
Understanding Lake Hartwell's water level
Lake Hartwell is one of three big U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoirs stacked along the Savannah River, and its level is managed as part of that whole chain rather than on its own. The Corps releases water through Hartwell Dam to make hydropower, to meet required downstream flows toward Richard B. Russell and Thurmond lakes below it, and to keep empty space in reserve for floods. Full summer pool is 660 feet above sea level, and because the Corps deliberately holds room above that line for storms, the lake normally sits within a few feet of 660 rather than climbing far past it.
Because Hartwell is a large storage lake, its level reflects how wet the Savannah basin has been over months and years, not what happened in the last rainstorm. In a normal year it eases down through late summer and early fall as generation continues and inflows slacken, then refills over winter and spring. The deep drops that make headlines are droughts: the basin reached its most severe drought-management stage in 1989 and again in 2007 and 2008, and it is those multi-year dry spells, not a single hot week, that pull Hartwell well below full.
The record low came on December 9, 2008, when Hartwell fell to 637.49 feet, more than 22 feet under full pool. At that level old roadbeds that are normally submerged reappeared, islands surfaced, and some boats were left sitting on dry ground. The record high, by contrast, was 665.4 feet in April 1964. That swing is why Hartwell regulars, whether they are chasing striped bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, catfish, and bluegill or just heading to one of its five marinas, check the gauge before they trailer a boat: here the gap between a full lake and a drought lake is measured in tens of feet.
Lake Hartwell — frequently asked
Why does Lake Hartwell's water level rise and fall?
The Corps of Engineers runs Hartwell as part of a three-reservoir chain on the Savannah River. Its level moves as the Corps releases water through Hartwell Dam for hydropower, sends required flows downstream to Russell and Thurmond lakes, and holds open flood-storage space above full pool. Sustained wet or dry weather across the basin then pushes the lake up or down over weeks and months.
What is full pool for Lake Hartwell, and how low has it gone?
Full summer pool is 660 feet above sea level. The record low was 637.49 feet on December 9, 2008, more than 22 feet below full during the 2007 to 2008 drought, and the record high was 665.4 feet in April 1964.
What happens at Lake Hartwell when the water gets very low?
During the 2008 drought low, Hartwell dropped far enough to expose old highways that are normally underwater, uncover islands, and strand some boats on dry ground. Ramps built for higher water can end well short of the shoreline, so boaters check which ramps are still usable before launching.
Why is Lake Hartwell low during a drought rather than right after a storm?
Hartwell is a large storage reservoir, so a single rain barely changes its elevation. It falls when the whole Savannah basin runs dry for months while the Corps keeps generating power and meeting downstream flow targets with less water coming in. The basin's worst drought stages hit in 1989 and in 2007 to 2008.
Is Lake Hartwell drawn down on a schedule each winter?
Only slightly. Unlike lakes with a deep planned winter drawdown, Hartwell is held fairly close to its 660-foot pool year-round, dipping modestly in late summer and refilling in spring. The large drops you hear about are caused by drought, not a fixed seasonal schedule.
What is Lake Hartwell used for?
It was built mainly for flood control and hydropower and also supports recreation and local water supply. The lake is a major fishery for striped bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, catfish, and bluegill, and its five marinas, many boat ramps, and hundreds of campsites draw heavy boating and camping traffic along the Georgia and South Carolina shoreline.
Other lakes near Lake Hartwell
- Lake AllatoonaGA
- Lake Blue RidgeGA
- Carters LakeGA
- Lake ChatugeGA/NC
- Lake GreenwoodSC
- J. Strom Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill)GA/SC
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