Looking for that Dream Lakefront home? Thought you found it? Hopefully you have! However, when searching on many lakes in Tennessee in the summertime, you are seeing the lake at it’s “Full Pool”. This means the time when the lake is at it’s greatest depth. If you are needing a dock that will accommodate a deep “V” boat or you want go fishing in the wintertime, you may want to check with the TVA or Tennessee Valley Authority This will help with info about the maximum draw down of the water in the wintertime. You can use that information to ensure there will be enough water under your boat well for your lift to descend. You will want enough water to launch your boat even when the lake level is low.
Most of Tennessee’s lakes draw down from around November 1st and then begin refilling early Spring in April. This is of course for Flood Control in the areas both above and below the lake. You can check the lake levels anytime you want by phone, Tennessee Lake Levels by Phone. 
OR on the website specifically by lake. Check Tellico Lake Levels.
There are other reasons to know when the water is going to raise or lower. Maintenance of your Tennessee lake home shoreline or docks. Wintertime is an excellent time to get out and check under your dock and along the shoreline to see if any maintenance or repairs are needed. Renovations to your existing dock or shoreline can be performed much easier at low pool.
You will want to know ahead of time if they will be raising the water so you do not get started on a project and then get “Flooded out”!
Don’t let the water fluctuation sneak up on you or it could be too late! , IF you have a large boat that has water under it in the summertime, make sure it will have water under it in the winter as well! You may need to make arrangements to move it to a commercial marina or deeper water for the winter storage.
The lower water level in the wintertime is also a great time for building a new dock on your new Lakefront Homesite, but check to make sure your community allows a dock to be built prior to constructing your home.
Many Communities pick this time to organize a “Shoreline clean up”. Over the summer large amounts of debris accumulates along the shoreline and gets deposited at the waters summer pool edge. Residents from one or more communities gather, and walk the shoreline picking up trash or other items washed up during the drawing down of the lake. This can be a great social event for a great cause. It is usually followed up by a picnic or group luncheon at a local favorite restaurant. Like Ricks Dockside Grill on Tellico Lake!
Whatever your reason may be, water levels play a very important role in living on the water.
Written by Karen Millikan, Lakefront Living Realty