Overview
Wilson Lake is a roughly 15,500-acre mainstem reservoir on the Tennessee River in the Muscle Shoals area of northwest Alabama. Wilson Dam was begun by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War I and later became a cornerstone of the Tennessee Valley Authority system; it is TVA's largest conventional hydroelectric plant. The project provides hydropower, navigation, and recreation on the Shoals reach.
With about 166 miles of shoreline, Wilson is a relatively compact but deep navigation pool between Wheeler Dam upstream and Pickwick Landing Dam downstream. Rocky banks, main-channel habitat, and the famous Wilson Dam tailwater define the lake's fishing character.
Wilson and its tailwater are renowned as a smallmouth bass destination—often called the Smallmouth Capital of the World—and also produce catfish, sauger, and other warmwater species. Fisheries are managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with marinas, TVA recreation areas, and public access around Florence, Muscle Shoals, and Sheffield.
Water levels on Wilson Lake are managed by TVA as a run-of-river navigation pool held near about 508 feet above mean sea level, with only a very small typical seasonal band (catalog winter near 507 feet). Because the lake links Wheeler Lake upstream and Pickwick Lake downstream, monitoring current lake levels and generation schedules is still important for boating safety and fishing the dam and tailwater.
Current Conditions
Wilson Lake is currently 1.08 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 0.23 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.34 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Wilson Lake is a 15,500-acre reservoir on the Tennessee River managed by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).