Lake Lanier’s water level will rise and fall depending upon several factors including periods of drought or heavy rain, hydropower production, flood control, and downstream fish and wildlife management.
Since the 90’s, the Corps of Engineers, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama have all been fighting for use of the water held in Lake Lanier. Federal law mandates that when a river flows between two or more states, each state has a right to an equal share of the water. Additionally, other laws such as the Endangered Species Act require that water be available for threatened or endangered species that live in or around Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola Bay.
The Water Management Section of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers meets every Wednesday with representatives from the various areas to exchange information concerning the operation of the river systems and lakes. Water management decisions for the upcoming week are determined using the information obtained at the weekly meeting and a report is prepared that summarizes the conditions in each of the river basins. Operation of the lakes are also guided by use of action zones. The action zones provide guidelines on meeting the project purposes for each lake.
Click to go to the Corps of Engineers https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Recreation/Lake-Sidney-Lanier/Lake-Levels/
Click to go back to main Lake Lanier Water Levels page https://lakelanier.com/lake-lanier-water-levels/