Lake Lanier Water Level Today
Georgia · near Alpharetta · Below full pool
- Elevation
- 1,064.65 ft
- From full pool
- −6.35 ft
- Percent of pool
- 82.4%
- 24-hour change
- −0.03 ft
- 7-day change
- −0.38 ft
- Reading
- Sep 21, 2026 · USACE
Last year at Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier is 6.35 ft below full pool, at 1,064.65 ft, down 0.03 ft in the last 24 hours. That puts the lake at 82.4 percent of its conservation pool. The top of the flood pool is 20.3 ft higher, at 1,085.00 ft.
Over the last 7 days the level fell 0.38 ft, and over 30 days it fell 1.51 ft. In the 400 days of readings on this page the high was 1,069.95 ft on Aug 22, 2025 and the low was 1,064.18 ft on Jan 9, 2026, a range of 5.77 ft.
The reading is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gauge at Buford Dam and Lake Lanier, near Alpharetta, taken Sep 21, 2026 and referenced to the NGVD29 datum. This page is rebuilt once a day from the agency feed; it is not a live gauge, so during a fast rise or a scheduled release check the USACE page for hourly values.
About Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier is the Chattahoochee River reservoir behind Buford Dam northeast of Atlanta, operated by the Corps' Mobile District and the main water supply for metro Atlanta. Full pool is 1,071 ft with a flood pool to 1,085 ft; the Corps runs the lake on a seasonal guide curve, so a reading a few feet below full in winter is normal and not a drought signal.
Lake Lanier pool elevations
| Current elevation | 1,064.65 ft |
|---|---|
| Full pool (top of conservation) | 1,071.00 ft |
| Top of flood pool | 1,085.00 ft |
| Bottom of conservation pool | 1,035.00 ft |
| Top of dam | 1,106.00 ft |
| Inflow | 613 cfs |
| Outflow | 613 cfs |
| 30-day change | −1.51 ft |
| 1-year high | 1,069.95 ft (Aug 22, 2025) |
| 1-year low | 1,064.18 ft (Jan 9, 2026) |
| Vertical datum | NGVD29 |
| Operating agency | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, SAM district |
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Read what full pool and flood pool mean.
More lakes in Georgia
- Lake Hartwell 649.40 ft, −10.60 ft from full
- Carters Lake 1,074.53 ft, +0.53 ft from full
- West Point Lake 626.57 ft, −0.20 ft from full
- GW Andrews Lake 102.24 ft, +0.24 ft from full
- Lake Richard B. Russell 473.68 ft, −1.32 ft from full
Lake Lanier level questions
What is the water level of Lake Lanier today?
Lake Lanier is at 1,064.65 ft as of Sep 21, 2026, −6.35 ft relative to full pool (1,071.00 ft). The 24-hour change is −0.03 ft.
What is full pool at Lake Lanier?
Full pool, the top of the conservation pool, is 1,071.00 ft (NGVD29). Above that, water is stored temporarily in the flood pool up to 1,085.00 ft. The bottom of the conservation pool is 1,035.00 ft.
Is Lake Lanier rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the level is −0.03 ft; over 7 days it fell 0.38 ft, and over 30 days it fell 1.51 ft.
Where does this Lake Lanier level come from?
From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) public data feed for Buford Dam and Lake Lanier. Lake Levels Today republishes the agency's daily value without adjustment and links to the source below.