GeorgiaReservoir, 24,607 acres, Elbert County
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473.75ft
Up 0.39 ft this week
Sailing
CheckingReading the forecast
Kayak and SUP
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Power boating
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Fishing
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Outlook. Monday: NE wind 2 to 6 kt, gusts to 11 kt, high near 72°F. Tuesday: ENE wind 2 to 4 kt, gusts to 9 kt, high near 75°F.
7-day wind forecastLoads when you scroll here
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Last hour of NOAA MRMS radar, 1 km resolution. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, OpenMapTiles, OpenFreeMap.
473.75ft above sea level
+0.39 ft in 7 days0.32 ft below the October normal
Reading from Oct 26, 2026. Shaded band: range of October averages on record; dashed line is the typical level.
Richard B Russell Lake was at 473.75 ft on October 26, rising 0.39 ft over the past week. That is below normal for October: the typical October level is 474.07 ft, so the lake is 0.32 ft below its usual mark.
Background reading: Richard B Russell Lake on Wikipedia
Set in Elbert County, Georgia, Richard B Russell Lake is a 24,607-acre reservoir. Its dam was completed in 1974, and the lake is operated by United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Water level on this page comes from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reading at Richard B Russell Dam, published through the Corps' CWMS data service. Wind, gusts and rain come from the National Weather Service forecast grid that covers the water.
On a lake this size the wind has miles of open water to work with, so a 15 kt breeze can stack up a steep chop in the main basin while sheltered coves stay flat. Reservoir levels move with releases and inflow, so ramps and beaches can change week to week. The water level page tracks that day by day.
The go or no-go calls above are a starting point, not a guarantee. Read how we score conditions, and always check local rules and posted warnings before you launch.
The National Weather Service forecast for the lake from October 26: Monday: NE wind 2 to 6 kt, gusts to 11 kt, high near 72°F. The panel at the top of this page refreshes the current wind, gusts and direction when you open it and turns them into a call for sailing, paddling, power boating and fishing.
Richard B Russell Lake was at 473.75 ft on October 26, rising 0.39 ft over the past week. That is below normal for October: the typical October level is 474.07 ft, so the lake is 0.32 ft below its usual mark.
Richard B Russell Lake covers about 24,607 acres (38 square miles) of surface water.
Richard B Russell Lake is operated by United States Army Corps of Engineers. Boating rules, closures and ramp hours come from the operator and the state wildlife agency.
The dam that forms Richard B Russell Lake was completed in 1974.
If Richard B Russell is blown out, these are the closest alternatives. Tap through for their conditions.