Norris Lake Water Level
Tennessee · Clinch River
Sponsor Norris Lake
Put your marina, real-estate, or local business in front of everyone checking this lake's level. One exclusive sponsor per lake.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Water level history
About Norris Lake
Norris Lake is a reservoir on the Clinch River in Tennessee, operated by Tennessee Valley Authority. It was TVA's first reservoir, completed in 1936. Its full summer pool sits at 1020 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and update hourly.
Understanding Norris Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation Tennessee Valley Authority targets when Norris Lake is completely filled — 1020 feet above sea level. As an upstream storage reservoir, Norris Lake is filled toward 1020 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.
Norris 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 Norris 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.
Norris Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Norris Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Norris Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
What is full pool for Norris Lake?
Norris Lake's full summer pool is 1020 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Norris Lake?
Norris Lake is operated by Tennessee Valley Authority on the Clinch River.
Where is Norris Lake located?
Norris Lake is in Tennessee, on the Clinch River.
Why is Norris 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 Norris Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Norris Lake.
Other lakes near Norris Lake
- Lake BarkleyKY/TN
- Boone LakeTN
- Center Hill LakeTN
- Cherokee LakeTN
- Chickamauga LakeTN
- Dale Hollow LakeKY/TN
Add this gauge to your website
Run a marina, boat rental, guide service, or real-estate site on Norris Lake? Put this free live-level widget on your page — just copy and paste the code: