Tims Ford Lake Water Level
Tennessee · Elk River
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Water level history
About Tims Ford Lake
Tims Ford Lake is a reservoir on the Elk River in Tennessee, operated by Tennessee Valley Authority. Its full summer pool sits at 888 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and update hourly.
Understanding Tims Ford Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation Tennessee Valley Authority targets when Tims Ford Lake is completely filled — 888 feet above sea level. As an upstream storage reservoir, Tims Ford Lake is filled toward 888 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.
Tims Ford 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 Tims Ford 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.
Tims Ford Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Tims Ford Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Tims Ford Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
What is full pool for Tims Ford Lake?
Tims Ford Lake's full summer pool is 888 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Tims Ford Lake?
Tims Ford Lake is operated by Tennessee Valley Authority on the Elk River.
Where is Tims Ford Lake located?
Tims Ford Lake is in Tennessee, on the Elk River.
Why is Tims Ford 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 Tims Ford Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Tims Ford Lake.
Other lakes near Tims Ford Lake
- Lake BarkleyKY/TN
- Boone LakeTN
- Center Hill LakeTN
- Cherokee LakeTN
- Chickamauga LakeTN
- Dale Hollow LakeKY/TN
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