Overview
Lake Nottely is a 4,180-acre reservoir on the Nottely River in Union County, in the north Georgia mountains near Blairsville. It was created in 1942 when the Tennessee Valley Authority completed Nottely Dam, built primarily for flood storage and to help regulate flow at downstream Hiwassee Dam; a generator added in the 1950s gives it a modest hydroelectric output.
Nottely stretches about 20 miles upstream to Blairsville and has roughly 106 miles of shoreline, an average depth near 35 feet, and a maximum depth of about 98 feet at the dam. Around 70 percent of its shoreline lies within the Chattahoochee National Forest and remains undeveloped, giving the lake a quiet, mountain-rimmed character, though the pool can vary more than 30 feet in a normal year for flood storage.
The lake is known for striped and largemouth bass, walleye, and rainbow trout, with fisheries managed and stocked by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Public boat ramps, private marinas, and TVA and Forest Service recreation areas such as Poteete Creek provide access for boating, fishing, and camping.
Water levels on Lake Nottely are managed by TVA around a summer full pool near 1,779 feet above mean sea level, with substantial winter drawdown for flood storage. Because the reservoir is operated as part of TVA's Hiwassee 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 Nottely is currently 6.75 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 2.53 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 Nottely is a 4,180-acre reservoir on the Nottely River managed by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).