Overview
Great Falls Reservoir is an 1,830-acre lake on the Caney Fork River about 75 miles southeast of Nashville in Warren and White counties, Middle Tennessee. It was created by Great Falls Dam, now owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, and is named for the falls that plunge into the Caney Fork a short distance below the dam. The project generates hydropower and anchors a scenic recreation corridor known for waterfalls, bluffs, and whitewater.
About 22 miles long with roughly 120 miles of winding shoreline, the reservoir sits in a rugged, largely wooded setting with numerous waterfalls and rocky outcrops. Narrow creek arms, steep banks, and a defined river channel give Great Falls a wilderness character uncommon among Middle Tennessee lakes. Below the dam, whitewater rapids on the Caney Fork are renowned for kayaking and canoeing and have hosted national and international paddling events.
The lake offers fishing for bass, crappie, and catfish, with fisheries managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Public access is available through TVA recreation areas and boat ramps around the reservoir, while paddlers use put-ins below the dam for the whitewater run. Campers and day visitors combine lake boating with waterfall hikes and scenic overlooks in the surrounding hills.
Water levels on Great Falls Reservoir are managed by TVA around a full pool near 881 feet above mean sea level. Elevations respond to rainfall and generation, and the Caney Fork system also includes the larger Corps storage lake at Center Hill downstream in the broader basin context. Monitoring current lake levels and release conditions is helpful for boating, fishing, and paddling below the dam throughout the year.
Current Conditions
Great Falls Reservoir is currently 5.37 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 0.30 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.46 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Great Falls Reservoir is a 1,830-acre reservoir on the Caney Fork River managed by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).