Overview
Lake Rabun is an 835-acre reservoir on the Tallulah River in Rabun County, in the northeastern corner of Georgia. It is the third lake in Georgia Power's six-lake Tallulah River hydroelectric chain, created when Mathis Dam was completed in 1915, though the lake was not fully impounded until the mid-1920s. Georgia Power owns the reservoir and operates it for hydroelectric power at the associated Terrora plant.
Long and twisting, Rabun has about 25 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth near 84 feet close to Mathis Dam, with an average depth in the 25-to-35-foot range across much of the lake. Its serpentine shape, wooded coves, and steep mountain banks make it one of the most picturesque of the north Georgia lakes, and its shoreline is lined with long-established lake homes on Georgia Power leased land.
Rabun is popular for boating, water skiing, and fishing for largemouth and spotted bass, bream, and catfish, and it is well known for its summer community and afternoon cruises. Fisheries are managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and a Georgia Power boat ramp and the nearby Rabun Beach Recreation Area in the Chattahoochee National Forest provide public access.
Water levels on Lake Rabun are managed by Georgia Power around a full pond near 1,689.6 feet above mean sea level. Because Rabun sits mid-chain, its elevation is tied to releases from Lake Seed and Lake Burton above and to generation demand, so monitoring current lake levels is helpful for boating, dock access, and shoreline activities throughout the year.
Current Conditions
Lake Rabun is currently 1.84 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 0.15 ft
- 30-day changeUp 1.01 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 Rabun is a 835-acre reservoir on the Tallulah River managed by Georgia Power.