Overview
Fort Loudoun Lake is a 14,600-acre reservoir on the Tennessee River at Knoxville, the uppermost of nine TVA mainstem reservoirs that form a continuous navigable channel to Paducah, Kentucky. It was created when the Tennessee Valley Authority completed Fort Loudoun Dam for navigation, hydropower, and flood control. A short canal links it to Tellico Reservoir on the Little Tennessee River.
With 379 miles of shoreline, Fort Loudoun stretches through the Knoxville metro area and is kept within a narrow band for navigation — typically 812 to 813 feet in summer and no lower than 807 feet in winter. Residential development, marinas, and urban parks line much of its shoreline.
The lake is a popular urban fishery for largemouth and spotted bass, crappie, and catfish, with fisheries managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Numerous public ramps, parks, and marinas provide access around Knoxville and surrounding communities.
Water levels on Fort Loudoun Lake are managed by TVA around a summer full pool near 813 feet above mean sea level. Because it is tied by canal to Tellico Lake and locks traffic down to Watts Bar Lake, monitoring current lake levels is helpful for boating, fishing, and dock access.
Current Conditions
Fort Loudoun Lake is currently at full pool and has risen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.10 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.16 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.
Fort Loudoun Lake is a 14,600-acre reservoir on the Holston River and French Broad River managed by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).