Overview
Lake Russell, officially the Richard B. Russell Lake, is a large Savannah River reservoir on the South Carolina and Georgia border, sitting between Lake Hartwell upstream and Clarks Hill Lake downstream. Filled between 1983 and 1984, it was created by the Richard B. Russell Dam and is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, primarily for hydroelectric power (including pumped storage), along with flood control and recreation.
Covering about 26,650 acres with roughly 540 miles of shoreline, Lake Russell is defined by its largely undeveloped, heavily forested banks, long creek arms, narrow coves, and submerged timber, points, and river channels. Depths reach about 167 feet near the dam. Federal regulations prohibit private development on the public lands surrounding the lake, giving it a quieter, more natural setting than its neighbors.
Lake Russell supports a balanced warmwater fishery for largemouth and spotted bass, striped bass, crappie, and catfish. Fisheries are managed cooperatively by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and public boat ramps and day-use areas provide access on both shores.
Water levels on Lake Russell are managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Savannah River Basin system. The project operates on a nearly constant guide curve at a full pool of 475 feet above mean sea level (NGVD29), with only about 5 feet of conservation storage and 5 feet of flood storage to about 480 feet, so the lake almost always looks full. Because operations are coordinated with Hartwell and Clarks Hill, monitoring current lake levels is still useful for boating safety, fishing, and dock access.
Current Conditions
Lake Russell is currently 1.48 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 changeUp 0.04 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.91 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 Russell is a 26,650-acre reservoir on the Savannah River managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.