After a gentleman passed away in 2015, his houseboat sank in Lake Lanier. The wreckage became known as the Dead Man’s Houseboat. Removing the boat from Lanier proved to be a difficult task.
The vessel was declared “debris” by the Army Corps of Engineers. Executive Director of the Lake Lanier Association Joanna Cloud formed a coalition of agencies and volunteers to remove the submerged vessel from the lake on Thursday, July 21, 2016.
The houseboat was left abandoned after the owner was found deceased in the immediate area. Over time, it became completely submerged. The water level as of July 14, 2016, was 1067.03 feet above sea level, almost exactly four feet below “full summer pool.” As the water in Lake Lanier recedes, the Dead Man’s Houseboat becomes more of an eyesore and more dangerous.
This is the first vessel to be removed using funds from the State of Georgia’s fiscal 2017 budget specifically allocated for abandoned vessel removal on Lake Lanier. Hall County is matching a portion of the state funds for Hall County specific issues.
The Lake Lanier Association, Department of Natural Resources and Hall County combined efforts and financial resources to remove the blight from the lake. Special recognition goes to State House Representative Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) and Hall County Commissioner Billy Powell for their leadership in getting funding secured for this project.
