Overview
Lay Lake is a roughly 12,000-acre run-of-river reservoir on the Coosa River spanning Chilton, Coosa, Shelby, St. Clair, and Talladega counties in central Alabama. It was created when Alabama Power completed Lay Dam (originally Lock 12) in 1914, the company's first hydroelectric plant, later renamed for founder William Patrick Lay. The lake is operated for hydropower and recreation.
Stretching nearly 50 miles up the Coosa with about 289 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth near 88 feet at the dam, Lay is a long, riverine lake of wooded banks, creek arms, and developed shoreline. Normal full pool is about 396 feet above mean sea level, and run-of-river operation keeps levels relatively constant through the year.
Lay is a well-known bass and crappie lake and also produces striped bass and catfish, with fisheries managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Marinas, public ramps, and lakeside communities support heavy recreational use between Birmingham and Montgomery.
Water levels on Lay Lake are managed by Alabama Power as a run-of-river pool near 396 feet above mean sea level on the project gauge. Inflows come from Logan Martin Lake upstream, and the lake feeds Mitchell Lake downstream, so monitoring current elevations and generation schedules helps with boating, fishing, and dock access.
Current Conditions
Lay Lake is currently 0.27 feet below full pool and has risen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.18 ft
- 30-day changeUp 0.13 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
- Active advisories2 active (Notice)
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Lay Lake is a 12,000-acre reservoir on the Coosa River managed by Alabama Power.