South Holston Lake Water Level
Tennessee & Virginia · South Fork Holston River
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Water level history
About South Holston Lake
South Holston Lake is a reservoir on the South Fork Holston River in Tennessee & Virginia, operated by Tennessee Valley Authority. It's a deep, cold mountain lake straddling the Tennessee–Virginia line. Its full summer pool sits at 1729 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and update hourly.
Understanding South Holston Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation Tennessee Valley Authority targets when South Holston Lake is completely filled — 1729 feet above sea level. As an upstream storage reservoir, South Holston Lake is filled toward 1729 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.
South Holston 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 South Holston 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.
South Holston Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of South Holston Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows South Holston Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
What is full pool for South Holston Lake?
South Holston Lake's full summer pool is 1729 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages South Holston Lake?
South Holston Lake is operated by Tennessee Valley Authority on the South Fork Holston River.
Where is South Holston Lake located?
South Holston Lake is in Tennessee & Virginia, on the South Fork Holston River.
Why is South Holston 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 South Holston Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for South Holston Lake.
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