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Tennessee lake levels
Levels are in feet above sea level. Generating shows the hours TVA has scheduled for each dam on the day of the reading. Pick a lake for its hourly readings, forecast and full schedule.
Tennessee River lakes
| Lake | Level | 24 hr | Against TVA target | Generating | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Loudoun Lake | 812.66 ft | ▶ 0.02 ft | 0.09 ft below | All day | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Tellico Lake | 812.65 ft | ▶ 0.03 ft | In zone | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 | |
| Watts Bar Lake | 740.77 ft | ▶ 0.04 ft | At guide | All day | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Chickamauga Lake | 680.85 ft | ▼ 0.19 ft | 0.15 ft below | All day | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Nickajack Lake | 633.08 ft | ▼ 0.95 ft | 0.42 ft below | All day | Midnight CDT, Sep 30 |
| Pickwick Lake | 412.61 ft | ▲ 0.05 ft | 0.10 ft above | All day | Midnight CDT, Sep 30 |
| Kentucky Lake | 355.17 ft | ▶ 0.02 ft | 0.13 ft above | All day | Midnight CDT, Sep 30 |
East Tennessee tributary lakes
| Lake | Level | 24 hr | Against TVA target | Generating | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norris Lake | 1,009.65 ft | ▼ 0.15 ft | 0.61 ft below | All day | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Melton Hill Lake | 793.76 ft | ▼ 0.11 ft | In zone | 11 AM to 10 PM EDT | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Cherokee Lake | 1,057.94 ft | ▼ 0.20 ft | 0.57 ft below | 4 AM to 5 AM EDT, 10 AM to 11 PM EDT | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Douglas Lake | 976.16 ft | ▼ 0.70 ft | 0.21 ft above | 4 AM to 5 AM EDT, 8 AM to midnight EDT | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Boone Lake | 1,378.00 ft | ▼ 0.11 ft | In zone | 6 AM to 9 AM EDT, 2 PM to 8 PM EDT | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Fort Patrick Henry Lake | 1,260.50 ft | ▲ 0.33 ft | In zone | 1 AM to 2 AM EDT, 4 AM to 5 AM EDT, 7 AM to 8 AM EDT, 10 AM to 11 AM EDT, 1 PM to 8 PM EDT, 10 PM to 11 PM EDT | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| South Holston Lake | 1,719.21 ft | ▼ 0.15 ft | 0.72 ft below | 3 AM to 4 AM EDT, 11 AM to 8 PM EDT | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Watauga Lake | 1,948.62 ft | ▶ 0.02 ft | 6.71 ft below | None scheduled | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Wilbur Lake | 1,645.61 ft | ▼ 0.32 ft | In zone | 6 AM to 7 AM EDT, 6 PM to 7 PM EDT | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
| Parksville Lake | 827.93 ft | ▲ 0.07 ft | In zone | 4 AM to 5 AM EDT, 8 AM to 9 AM EDT, noon to 11 PM EDT | 1 AM EDT, Oct 1 |
Elk, Duck and Caney Fork lakes
| Lake | Level | 24 hr | Against TVA target | Generating | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tims Ford Lake | 886.99 ft | ▶ 0.04 ft | 2.85 ft above | None scheduled | Midnight CDT, Sep 30 |
| Normandy Lake | 870.85 ft | ▼ 0.06 ft | 4.15 ft below | 11 PM CDT, Sep 30 | |
| Great Falls Lake | 794.75 ft | ▼ 0.19 ft | 5.25 ft below | None scheduled | Midnight CDT, Sep 30 |
Cumberland River lakes (Corps of Engineers)
| Lake | Level | 24 hr | Against TVA target | Generating | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Hollow Lake | 640.25 ft | ▼ 0.10 ft | In zone | Noon to 9 PM CDT | Midnight CDT, Sep 30 |
| Center Hill Lake | 632.33 ft | ▶ 0.05 ft | 1.69 ft above | Noon to 2 PM CDT | Midnight CDT, Sep 30 |
| Cordell Hull Lake | 503.56 ft | ▼ 0.08 ft | In zone | 5 AM to midnight CDT | Midnight CDT, Sep 30 |
| Old Hickory Lake | 444.44 ft | ▶ 0.01 ft | In zone | Midnight to 1 AM CDT, 5 AM to midnight CDT | 6 PM CDT, Sep 30 |
| Percy Priest Lake | 489.48 ft | ▶ 0.01 ft | 0.02 ft below zone | None scheduled | 6 PM CDT, Sep 30 |
| Cheatham Lake | 384.72 ft | ▼ 0.20 ft | In zone | 6 AM to midnight CDT | 6 PM CDT, Sep 30 |
| Lake Barkley | 355.15 ft | ▼ 0.05 ft | 0.11 ft above | All day | 6 PM CDT, Sep 30 |
Reading the numbers
What the lake level terms mean
Guide level
The level TVA plans to hold a tributary lake at on a given date. It rises through spring to a summer pool and drops through autumn to a winter pool.
Operating zone
The narrow band a main river lake is kept inside. Tennessee River and Cumberland River lakes move a foot or two a year rather than tens of feet.
Flood guide
The level above which TVA holds space for flood water. Lakes sit below it except during and after heavy rain.
cfs
Cubic feet per second, the rate water leaves through the dam. The higher it is, the stronger the current in the river below.
Tailwater
The river right below a dam. Its level rises within minutes of generation starting, which matters to anyone wading or anchored below.
Generation
Hours when the dam’s turbines are running. That is when water moves below the dam, and when the schedule on each lake page shows a coloured block.
Common questions
Tennessee lake level questions
Why are the lakes lower in winter?
TVA draws its tributary lakes such as Norris, Cherokee, Douglas and South Holston down through the autumn to make room for winter and spring rain, then fills them again toward a summer level. Main river lakes change far less.
How often do the numbers change?
TVA publishes hourly readings. Each lake page and this table check TVA again when they open, and every figure carries the time of the reading.
Which lakes are on this page?
The 27 Tennessee lakes TVA publishes readings for, including the Corps of Engineers lakes on the Cumberland. Reelfoot Lake has no dam and no TVA readings.
Does this page show water temperature?
No. TVA’s lake data does not include water temperature for these reservoirs, so none is shown.
Every reading carries the time TVA took it.
Lake levels, releases, generation schedules and forecasts come from the Tennessee Valley Authority. Tennessee Fishing Spots is not affiliated with TVA. TVA’s lake data does not include water temperature, so none is shown.
Keep going
More Tennessee water, and who fishes it
Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.
Lake levels for every TVA and Corps lake in Tennessee, updated through the day, are on Tennessee Conditions.