Lake Lanier

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Lake Lanier
Satellite imagery of Lake Lanier and surrounding area, c. 2006
Lake Lanier Show map of Georgia Lake Lanier Show map of the United States
Location	Georgia
Coordinates	34°14′24″N 83°57′00″W / 34.24000°N 83.95000°W / 34.24000; -83.95000
Type	reservoir, from 1956
Primary inflows	Chattahoochee River, Chestatee River
Primary outflows	Chattahoochee River
Catchment area	1,040 sq mi (2,700 km2)
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	37,000 acres (15,000 ha; 58 sq mi)
Max. depth	156 ft (48 m)
Water volume	1,049,400 acre⋅ft (1.2944 km3)
Surface elevation	1,071 ft (326.4 m) summer 1,070 ft (326.1 m) winter
Website	https://lakelanier.com/

Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee River. The lake encompasses 38,000 acres (15,000 ha) or 59 sq mi (150 km²) of water, and 692 mi (1,114 km) of shoreline at normal level, a "full pool" of 1,071 ft (326 m) above mean sea level and the exact shoreline varies by resolution according to the coastline paradox. Named for Confederate veteran and poet Sidney Lanier,^[1] it was built and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and water supplies. Its construction destroyed more than 50,000 acres (20,000 ha) of farmland and displaced more than 250 families, 15 businesses, and relocated 20 cemeteries along with their remains in the process.^[2]

It is patrolled by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR), as well as local law enforcement. The states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida all have rights to the water of the reservoir, as it feeds rivers going through those areas. The Corps of Engineers has responsibilities to regulate flow for flood control and water use. In addition, it has to ensure that water is available to fulfill such federal mandates as under the Endangered Species Act, to support downstream species. The rapid suburbanization of the Atlanta region, in particular, has greatly increased water consumption by private homeowners for lawns and gardens. During droughts of the 21st century, Lake Lanier reached record lows, and regional actions have been needed to reduce state water usage in the area.^[3]