Overview
Hiwassee Lake is a 6,090-acre reservoir on the Hiwassee River in Cherokee County, in the remote southwestern tip of North Carolina near Murphy. It was created between 1936 and 1940 when the Tennessee Valley Authority completed Hiwassee Dam, at 307 feet the tallest overspill dam east of the Mississippi River, for flood control and hydroelectric power.
Stretching about 22 miles up the river, Hiwassee has roughly 180 miles of shoreline, much of it steep and forested within the Nantahala National Forest, and reaches depths of more than 200 feet in the old river channel. Fed by releases from the upstream Chatuge and Nottely dams as well as local runoff, the deep, cool reservoir has an operating level that varies substantially through the year for seasonal flood storage.
The lake is known for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, and catfish, and its quiet, mountain-rimmed setting makes it popular for boating and paddling. Fisheries are managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, and TVA and Forest Service access areas, ramps, and a marina serve the lake.
Water levels on Hiwassee Lake are managed by TVA around a summer full pool near 1,526.5 feet above mean sea level, with a large winter drawdown for flood storage. Its tailwaters flow directly into Apalachia Lake, and because it is operated as part of TVA's Hiwassee River system its elevation changes seasonally and with rainfall and generation, so monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and dock access.
Current Conditions
Hiwassee Lake is currently 13.31 feet below full pool and has been rising over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 1.74 ft
- 30-day changeUp 4.92 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.
Hiwassee Lake is a 6,090-acre reservoir on the Hiwassee River (with Nottely and Chatuge inflows) managed by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).