Watauga Lake Water Level
Watauga Lake is at 1,948.12 ft today (Oct 6), 10.88 ft below its 1,959 ft full pool, down 0.53 ft this week.
Tennessee · Watauga River
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Water level history
About Watauga Lake
Watauga Lake is a reservoir on the Watauga River in Tennessee, operated by Tennessee Valley Authority. It's a deep, clear mountain lake in the Cherokee National Forest. Its full summer pool sits at 1959 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and update hourly.
Understanding Watauga Lake's water level
Watauga Lake sits higher than any other reservoir in the Tennessee River system, with a summer full pool of 1,959 feet above sea level. It fills a steep mountain valley for about 16 miles east of Watauga Dam toward the North Carolina line, and most of its roughly 106 miles of shoreline is backed by the Cherokee National Forest, with the Appalachian Trail running along the northwest side and across the top of the dam. The dam itself is an earth and rock embankment 318 feet high and 900 feet long. Work started in February 1942, stopped later that year when wartime priorities pulled labor and materials elsewhere, resumed in 1946, and the gates closed on December 1, 1948. Two miles downstream is Wilbur Dam, a small 1912 hydro plant that TVA also runs, and the cold water released through both dams feeds the trout tailwater on the Watauga River toward Elizabethton.
The level follows a TVA operating guide built around flood storage. From mid December to mid March the flood guide sits at 1,952 feet, and the typical winter level runs a few feet below that, bottoming out around 1,948 in February. Filling starts in mid March, when the odds of big storm sequences begin to drop, and the flood guide climbs to 1,959 by May 1. TVA tries to hold the tributary lakes as full as it can from June 1 to Labor Day, then releases water faster after the holiday; Watauga's flood guide starts falling in early October and is back at 1,952 by mid December. In a normal year the lake moves about 11 feet from summer to winter, which frees 152,800 acre-feet of flood storage. Summer releases for downstream flows and power often pull the lake below full pool before the fall drawdown begins, so a reading a few feet under 1,959 in August is routine.
Under the lake lies the original town of Butler, settled in the 1760s. The Watauga River flooded it repeatedly, and the 1940 flood killed six people and badly damaged Elizabethton. When TVA built the dam, about 650 families lived in Butler; contractors moved 125 houses and 50 other buildings to higher ground before the gates closed, and TVA's own history of the move calls it the Town That Wouldn't Drown. The old streets have surfaced twice, in 1954 and again after TVA drew the lake down to near river level in late 1983 to repair the dam, when former residents walked the exposed foundations. The fishery is managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which names smallmouth bass, walleye and trout as the main draws. Walleye have been stocked every year since 1985, and fish of seven to eight pounds are not unusual. TWRA also stocks rainbow, brown and lake trout, the last chosen because the deep water stays cold and well oxygenated all summer.
Watauga Lake — frequently asked
What is Watauga Lake's full pool elevation?
1,959 feet above sea level, the summer target TVA aims to reach by May 1 and hold through the June 1 to Labor Day recreation season when rainfall allows. That makes Watauga the highest reservoir in the Tennessee River system. The top of the dam's gates is at 1,975 feet, so the lake can store water well above full pool during a flood before it has to be passed downstream.
What is the record high level at Watauga Lake?
1,970.29 feet, set during Hurricane Helene in late September 2024. That broke the previous record by about three feet and put the lake more than 11 feet over full pool. With the reservoir essentially at capacity, TVA had to pass record flows through the dam, and the Watauga River at Elizabethton crested at 13.57 feet, about five feet above flood stage and the highest there since 1940.
How far does Watauga Lake drop in winter?
In a normal year about 11 feet. The flood guide is 1,952 feet from mid December to mid March, and TVA's typical winter level runs a little below that, with the seasonal low around 1,948 feet in February. The drawdown speeds up after Labor Day and the flood guide begins falling in early October, so most of the drop happens between October and December.
When does Watauga Lake fill back up?
TVA starts filling its tributary reservoirs in mid March, once the risk of flood producing storm sequences starts to decline. Watauga's flood guide rises from 1,952 feet in mid March to 1,959 on May 1. How quickly the lake actually gets there depends on spring rain in the mountains above the lake; in a wet spring it can touch full pool in April, while a dry one leaves it short into summer.
Why is Watauga Lake low right now?
Most of the time it is the operating guide at work. The lake is deliberately held about 11 feet lower in winter to make room for flood water, and TVA speeds up releases from its tributary lakes after Labor Day. In summer, TVA also draws on tributary storage to keep minimum flows, water quality and power generation going downstream, so a dry summer can pull Watauga several feet below 1,959 before the fall drawdown even starts.
Is there a town under Watauga Lake?
Yes. Old Butler, a river town settled in the 1760s, lies under the lake. TVA relocated about 650 families, moving 125 houses and 50 other structures to the new town site above the summer pool line before the gates closed in December 1948. The old foundations were exposed in 1954 and again in late 1983 and early 1984, when TVA lowered the lake almost to river level for dam repairs.
What fish live in Watauga Lake?
TWRA lists smallmouth bass, walleye and trout as the main game fish, feeding on gizzard shad, alewife, bluegill and minnows. Walleye were first stocked in 1954 and yearly since 1985; the limit is five a day with an 18 inch minimum. Lake trout are stocked for the cold deep water, and TWRA says the best lake trout fishing is between Watauga Point and Butler Bridge, trolling spoons 90 to 120 feet down in summer.
Flow released below Watauga Lake
This gauge reads the water leaving the dam, which is the number to check for fishing, paddling and downstream conditions. Live flow is tracked on riverlvl.com.
Other lakes near Watauga Lake
- Watts Bar LakeTN
- Tims Ford LakeTN
- Lake BarkleyKY/TN
- Tellico LakeTN
- Boone LakeTN
- South Holston LakeTN/VA
See current levels for all 23 Tennessee lakes and reservoirs →
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