We have have received the rain that helped pull Lake Lanier from a severe drought and then we had a surprise tropical system that dumped even more rain. Now the water level at Lake Lanier has reached above full pool and more rain could threaten the area around Lake Lanier.
The COE has been reluctant to release water downstream and contribute to additional flooding so they kept water behind Buford Dam. Now the COE is facing a potentially wetter winter and spring with a lake that is already full. So what are they doing? Well they have 3 turbines running at Buford Dam to lower Lake Lanier before the next big storm system moves in.
On November 14th the water level peaked at 1073.05 which is over 2 feet above summer full pool. The COE is racing to lower the water level at Lake Lanier to 1070 by December 1st for flood management. Currently Lake Lanier stands at 1072.17 and falling with 7325 CFS passing through Buford Dam.