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Lake Hartwell Water Level Today
As of , Lake Hartwell's water level is 647.50 ft: 12.5 ft below full pool (660.0 ft) and 6.9 ft below normal for the date.
South Carolina (also Georgia) · Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · readings published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Water level today · November 14, 2026, 1:00 PM EST
Normal for the date
−6.9 ft from the typical level for this date
647.50 ft above sea level
- vs full pool
- −12.5 ft
- Past 7 days
- −0.2 ft
- vs 1 year ago
- −7.6 ft
What do these numbers mean?
- Water level
- The height of the lake surface in feet above sea level, as measured by the official gauge.
- Full pool
- The level the lake is normally kept at when it is full (top of conservation pool, summer). Above it, the lake is storing flood water.
- Normal for the date
- The typical (median) level on this calendar date across 2006-2025. The normal range is where the lake stood in 8 of 10 years.
- Operating zone / guide
- The seasonal levels the operator aims for. Many reservoirs are lowered on purpose in fall and winter to make room for spring rain.
Lake Hartwell water level chart (last 2 years)
Over the last two years, Lake Hartwell ranged from 647.5 ft on November 14, 2026 to 660.5 ft on April 28, 2025, and today it is 7.6 ft lower than on the same day last year.
How full is Lake Hartwell right now?
Lake Hartwell is 12.5 ft below full pool (660.0 ft).
Over the past 7 days the level fell 0.21 ft; over 30 days it fell 1.6 ft.
One year ago the lake stood at 655.1 ft, so it is −7.6 ft compared with the same day last year.
Is Lake Hartwell above or below normal?
For November 14, the normal level is about 654.4 ft (the normal range is 646.1 ft to 660.0 ft). Today's level is −6.9 ft compared with normal, within the normal range.
“Normal” here means the median level recorded on this calendar date across 2006-2025. Many reservoirs are drawn down on purpose in fall and winter, so a level below full pool can still be completely normal for the season.
Lake Hartwell target level for this time of year
The operator's target level (top of conservation pool) for this date is 658.0 ft. The lake is −10.5 ft from that target.
Recent history
| Highest daily level (last 2 years) | 660.48 ft | April 28, 2025 |
| Lowest daily level (last 2 years) | 647.50 ft | November 14, 2026 |
| Same day last year | 655.13 ft | −7.6 ft vs today |
| Full pool | 660.00 ft | top of conservation pool, summer |
Lake Hartwell record high and low
| Record high (daily level since 2005) | 664.85 ft | January 5, 2016 |
| Record low (daily level since 2005) | 637.61 ft | December 9, 2008 |
| About 5 years ago | 661.71 ft | October 20, 2021 |
Records cover the daily readings published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from March 5, 2005 until October 19, 2026. Older extremes, before the gauge record starts, are not included.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the water level of Lake Hartwell today?
- The latest reading is 647.50 ft above sea level, reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on November 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM EST.
- Is Lake Hartwell full?
- No. Lake Hartwell is 12.5 ft below its full pool of 660.0 ft.
- What is a normal water level for Lake Hartwell at this time of year?
- Based on daily readings from 2006-2025, the typical (median) level for this date is 654.4 ft, and 8 out of 10 years fall between 646.1 ft and 660.0 ft.
- What is the full pool elevation of Lake Hartwell?
- Full pool for Lake Hartwell is 660.0 ft (top of conservation pool, summer), according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- What were the highest and lowest levels in the last two years?
- The highest daily level in the last two years was 660.5 ft on April 28, 2025; the lowest was 647.5 ft on November 14, 2026.
- What is the lowest water level ever recorded at Lake Hartwell?
- In the official daily record since 2005, the lowest level of Lake Hartwell was 637.6 ft on December 9, 2008.
- What is the highest water level ever recorded at Lake Hartwell?
- In the official daily record since 2005, the highest level of Lake Hartwell was 664.9 ft on January 5, 2016.
- How close is Lake Hartwell to its record low?
- Today's level is 9.9 ft above the record low of 637.6 ft (December 9, 2008) and 17.4 ft below the record high of 664.9 ft (January 5, 2016).
Boating and fishing at Lake Hartwell
Boat ramp access, park hours and fishing rules are set by the operator and can change with the water level. Official information for boating, fishing and parks: Lake Hartwell (South Carolina Parks).
Where this data comes from
The water level is published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (station 02187010) and refreshed on this page every day. Full pool comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the normal range is calculated from official daily readings for 2006-2025. Recent readings are provisional and may be revised. See data sources & methodology.
Download the daily levels for Lake Hartwell (CSV, last 2 years)