Lake Levels DailyLake Levels Daily

Fontana Lake Water Level Today

Daily level, distance to full pool and history for Fontana Lake, on the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina.

Updated · Source: NWS gauge FONN7 Provisional

Water level Provisional

1,664.73ft

msl · 12:00 AM EST, Nov 9, 2026

  • 38.27 ftbelow summer pool (1,703.0 ft)
  • −0.20 ftin 24 h−1.19 ft in 7 days−11.67 ft in 30 days
1,6601,6701,6801,6901,7001,7101,7201,6601,6701,6801,6901,7001,7101,7201,6601,6701,6801,6901,7001,7101,720
  • Full pool
  • 1 yr ago

Is Fontana Lake full?

No. Fontana Lake is 38.27 ft below summer pool (1,703.0 ft). It is 2.99 ft higher than a year ago (1,661.74 ft on Nov 9, 2025).

Fontana Lake level history

View data table
DateLevel (ft)
Nov 9, 20261,664.73
Nov 8, 20261,664.89
Nov 7, 20261,665.15
Nov 6, 20261,665.31
Nov 5, 20261,665.13
Nov 4, 20261,664.98
Nov 3, 20261,665.49
Nov 2, 20261,665.89
Nov 1, 20261,666.14
Oct 31, 20261,666.30
Oct 30, 20261,666.73
Oct 29, 20261,667.41
Oct 28, 20261,668.14
Oct 27, 20261,668.79
Oct 26, 20261,669.48
Oct 25, 20261,669.84
Oct 24, 20261,670.02
Oct 23, 20261,670.41
Oct 22, 20261,670.82
Oct 21, 20261,670.98
Oct 20, 20261,671.12
Oct 19, 20261,671.48
Oct 18, 20261,672.37
Oct 17, 20261,673.12
Oct 16, 20261,673.74
Oct 15, 20261,674.65
Oct 14, 20261,675.49
Oct 13, 20261,676.22
Oct 12, 20261,676.88
Oct 11, 20261,676.69
Oct 10, 20261,676.40
  • Fontana Lake level
  • Full pool 1,703.0 ft
  • Above full pool
Source: NOAA NWPS · Daily averages since 2022

Fontana Lake on Nov 9 in past years

Fontana Lake water level on Nov 9 in past years
YearLevel (ft)vs todayvs full pool
2026today1,664.73—−38.27 ft
20251,661.74−2.99−41.26 ft
20241,668.11+3.38−34.89 ft
20231,669.27+4.54−33.73 ft
20221,664.78+0.05−38.22 ft

Today’s level is the highest for this date since 2024.

Lake facts

Summer pool June 1 target
1,703.0 ft msl
Highest since 2022
1,706.87 ftMay 18, 2025
Lowest since 2022
1,649.46 ftJan 23, 2025
Data since
Oct 27, 2022
Dam
Fontana Damcompleted 1944
River
Little Tennessee River
Operated by
TVA
Dam location
Graham County
Gauge location
35.4506, −83.8056

Dam, river and owner from the National Inventory of Dams (USACE). Records cover Oct 27, 2022 to today (daily averages).

Weather on the lake

  1. Tonight34°FLowSW 1 mphClear then Patchy Fog
  2. Monday67°FHighLow 36°FWNW 5 mphPatchy Fog then Sunny
  3. Tuesday70°FHighLow 40°FWSW 2 mphSunny
  4. Wednesday70°FHighLow 44°FSSW 2 mphMostly Sunny
  5. Thursday58°FHighLow 32°FWSW 5–10 mphLight Rain
  6. Friday44°FHighLow 26°FNW 10–14 mphChance Rain and Snow
  7. Saturday47°FHighLow 27°FNW 6–12 mphSlight Chance Light Snow then Mostly Sunny

Forecast: National Weather Service for the dam area (35.45, −83.81). Wind speeds are forecasts, not measurements.

Nearby lakes

Quick answers

What is the full pool level of Fontana Lake?
1,703.0 ft above mean sea level is the summer pool, the level TVA aims to hold from June 1. TVA keeps the lake lower in fall and winter to leave room for flood water, so winter levels below this are normal.
How much does Fontana Lake need to be full?
Fontana Lake needs 38.27 ft more water to reach full pool (1,703.0 ft), as of Nov 9, 2026.
Is Fontana Lake rising or falling?
It is falling: −1.19 ft in the last 7 days and −0.20 ft in 24 hours, to 1,664.73 ft on 12:00 AM EST, Nov 9, 2026 (NOAA National Water Prediction Service).
When was Fontana Lake last full?
It was last at or above summer pool (1,703.0 ft) on Aug 4, 2026. On Nov 9, 2026 it was 38.27 ft below.
What is the highest level in our data?
Fontana Lake reached 1,706.87 ft on May 18, 2025. The lowest was 1,649.46 ft on Jan 23, 2025 (NOAA NWPS data since 2022; older records are not in this data set).
How much has Fontana Lake changed in the last year?
In the last 12 months it ranged from 1,651.59 ft (Dec 18, 2025) to 1,704.42 ft (Jul 30, 2026), a swing of 52.83 ft.
How often is this page updated?
This page is updated several times a day with the latest reading from NOAA National Water Prediction Service. The last reading is from 12:00 AM EST, Nov 9, 2026.

Where this data comes from

Lake level reported by TVA through the National Weather Service (gauge FONN7, water.noaa.gov); history from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of the same reports. Recent readings are provisional. Weather from the National Weather Service. Dam details from the National Inventory of Dams.

Lake Levels Daily is an independent site, not affiliated with TWDB, LCRA, USACE, USGS, NOAA, TVA or any lake operator. Check official sources before making safety decisions.