Lake Lanier recorded its second-highest water level ever over the weekend, as rains have brought the lake within less than a foot of its record level recorded in 1964.
On Friday Lake Lanier's water level reached 1,076.34 feet above mean sea level, a measurement of lake fullness. That's more than five feet above a "full pool" for Lake Lanier of 1,071.00.
Only one time has the lake had a higher measurement, according to historical data released last year by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - in 1964, when it reached a measurement of 1,077.15 feet above mean sea level.
On Friday, that meant Lake Lanier was within about nine-and-a-half inches from its highest level ever recorded.
The level has dropped off a slight hair in the following days - it was recorded at 1,076.22 on Monday - but it continues to be highly swollen with the rainwaters that have pounded the north Georgia region across multiple storm systems in the past couple weeks.
“I’ve never seen it this high. I’ve been here 25 years from up north," said Cumming resident, Lara Dressel.
She managed to enjoy some time on the water at Mary Alice Beach Park, but added she couldn't use her boat at most of Lanier’s marinas.
"You gotta be careful, you gotta have a watchful eye when you’re out there," Dressel said.
“I’ve been here since 1984, this is the worst I’ve seen it," said Kenny Haddock, General Manager of Habersham Marina.
He said he can’t reach his docks or gas pumps.
“The middle of it, you probably talking about four or five feet," he said pointing to his submerged dock. “Trying to make a makeshift walkway here at the moment, hoping the water will recede here.”
It’s not just the water itself - but what's swimming in the water, too.
“Debris, debris is the most thing," said Dressel. "Because now you have a lot of things that are floating in there that weren’t floating before.”
Haddock said many fishing boats are trying their best to get around. He hopes the water level recedes quickly. Otherwise the water will keep visitors away- severely impacting his business.
“There’s a little bit of stress there, anytime we seen the rain we see in the forecast.”
Two weeks ago, on Feb. 3, the level was exactly a "full pool" of 1,071, making it's seen a staggering five-foot rise in just that time period.
It tracks with a similar rapid rise last February, when the lake reached a high of 1,076.1 on Feb. 24, which was up from just over 1,071 on Feb. 10.
While that high fell just short of becoming the second-highest level on record, Friday's mark would officially surpass the level of 1,076.20 reached in April 1977.
11Alive meteorologist Chris Holcomb says that while the recent rise is mainly due to rain, other factors - such as the limit engineers face in being able to release water without flooding the areas below - also contribute.
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