Overview
Lake Blue Ridge is a 3,290-acre reservoir on the Toccoa River in Fannin County, in the north Georgia mountains near the town of Blue Ridge. Blue Ridge Dam was completed in 1930 and acquired by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1939; the reservoir is TVA's only impoundment lying entirely within Georgia, operated for hydroelectric power, flood storage, and recreation.
Known for its clear, aquamarine water, Blue Ridge has about 65 miles of shoreline, an average depth near 60 feet, and a maximum depth of roughly 246 feet at the dam. Roughly 80 percent of its shoreline lies within the Chattahoochee National Forest, keeping the setting largely wild and forested, with steep coves and mountain views. The pool is drawn down about 20 feet in a typical year for seasonal flood storage.
The lake is popular for boating, paddling, and fishing, with a reputation for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, and trout in the cool Toccoa tailwaters. Fisheries are managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and a TVA campground, U.S. Forest Service recreation areas, a marina, and public boat ramps provide access around the reservoir.
Water levels on Lake Blue Ridge are managed by TVA around a summer full pool near 1,686 feet above mean sea level, with a lower winter pool for flood storage. Because TVA operates the reservoir as part of its Hiwassee-area river system, elevations shift seasonally and with rainfall and generation, so monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and dock access throughout the year.
Current Conditions
Lake Blue Ridge is currently 2.57 feet below full pool and has fallen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 0.61 ft
- 30-day changeUp 2.23 ft
- Drought conditionsAbnormally Dry
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Lake Blue Ridge is a 3,290-acre reservoir on the Toccoa River managed by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).