Buford Dam and Lake Lanier water level — Georgia
Buford Dam and Lake Lanier in Georgia was last measured at 1,066.16 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.1 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 1,775,000 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.1 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 7, 2026 — a 5-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USACE SAM/Buford, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2006 (2 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind Buford Dam and Lake Lanier
Buford Dam and Lake Lanier is held back by Buford Dam (also recorded as Lake Sidney Lanier) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 231 ft high and running 2,470 ft along its crest , built across CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER in Gwinnett County , near BUFORD . It was completed in 1958 , and is owned by USACE - Mobile District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CESAM.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;recreation;hydroelectric.
It is founded on rock, with a earth core. Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 100 ft wide. Its outlet works use slide (sluice gate)2;valve0.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 47,182 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 2,554,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 1,917,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 13,900 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record GA00824 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Buford Dam and Lake Lanier compares nearby
4 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Falls | GA | 865.32 ft | 36 km |
| Allatoona Dam and Lake | GA | 840.01 ft | 60 km |
| Carters Dam and Lake | GA | 1,073.10 ft | 75 km |
| Carters Reservoir-Regulation Lake | GA | 679.16 ft | 75 km |
| Weiss | AL | 564.00 ft | 155 km |
| West Point Dam and Lake | GA | 632.38 ft | 172 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Buford Dam and Lake Lanier?
- As of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 1,066.16 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Buford Dam and Lake Lanier full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USACE SAM/Buford, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Georgia
See every lake tracked in Georgia, or read the methodology behind these figures.