Tennessee · TVA

Watts Bar Lake water level

Today's reading against full pool and Watts Bar Lake's own seasonal history.

FULL POOL 736 738 740
Elevation, feet (TVA datum (ft MSL))

as of August 15, 2026

740.82 ft TVA datum (ft MSL)

level At full pool — this gauge's public record is too short for seasonal comparisons

Reading comes straight from NOAA National Water Prediction Service (NOAA gauge WBOT1) and updates live when you load this page.


Full pool, datum, and the gauge

"Full pool" here means the conservation pool — the level the lake is designed to hold for water supply and recreation, not the flood-control space above it. The full explainer covers flood pool and dead pool too.

Full pool 740.85 ft TVA datum (ft MSL) · per TVA full-pool reference
Gauge NOAA gauge WBOT1 · NOAA National Water Prediction Service
Datum TVA datum (ft MSL) — Full pool = TVA operating-guide top-of-summer-operating-zone max (740.85; commonly cited as 741). NWPS gauge 'Tennessee River above Watts Bar Dam'.
Last verified August 15, 2026

LakeDates reports lake level, not ramp status. Whether a given ramp or marina is usable at this level varies ramp by ramp — call the marina before you tow.

Quick answers

How full is Watts Bar Lake right now?

Watts Bar Lake is at 740.82 ft (TVA datum (ft MSL)) as of August 15, 2026 — At full pool — this gauge's public record is too short for seasonal comparisons

Is Watts Bar Lake full?

Yes — at 740.82 ft, Watts Bar Lake is at full pool (740.85 ft TVA datum (ft MSL)).

What is full pool for Watts Bar Lake?

Full pool (the conservation pool) for Watts Bar Lake is 740.85 ft TVA datum (ft MSL), per TVA full-pool reference. Levels above it use flood storage; levels below it are drawdown.