Hiwassee Lake Water Level
North Carolina · Hiwassee River
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Water level history
About Hiwassee Lake
Hiwassee Lake is a reservoir on the Hiwassee River in North Carolina, operated by Tennessee Valley Authority. Its dam housed the first reversible pump-turbine in the United States. Its full summer pool sits at 1526.5 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and update hourly.
Understanding Hiwassee Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation Tennessee Valley Authority targets when Hiwassee Lake is completely filled — 1526.5 feet above sea level. As an upstream storage reservoir, Hiwassee Lake is filled toward 1526.5 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.
Hiwassee 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 Hiwassee 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.
Hiwassee Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Hiwassee Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Hiwassee Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
What is full pool for Hiwassee Lake?
Hiwassee Lake's full summer pool is 1526.5 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Hiwassee Lake?
Hiwassee Lake is operated by Tennessee Valley Authority on the Hiwassee River.
Where is Hiwassee Lake located?
Hiwassee Lake is in North Carolina, on the Hiwassee River.
Why is Hiwassee 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 Hiwassee Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Hiwassee Lake.
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