U S Army Corps of Engineers to hold quota deer hunt near Buford Dam

            The U S Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Sidney Lanier (Corps), will be conducting a quota deer hunt on lands around Buford Dam December 20 and 21, 2011.  For public safety, the Laurel Ridge Trail and all parks along Buford Dam Road except West Bank Park will be closed during this event.  Read full release.

Lake Sidney Lanier Shoreline Management

Update for Community Docks

Mobile, Ala. The U.S. Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, invites the public to participate in one of three meetings to provide input and comments to proposed policy changes to the community docks portion of the Shoreline Management Plan for Lake Sidney Lanier. The meetings will be held at Forsyth Central High School, 520 Tribble Gap Rd., Cumming, GA, on April 25 from 6-8 p.m., West Hall High School, 5500 McEver Rd, Oakwood, GA, on May 24 from 6-8 p.m. and Dawsonville County Middle School at 332 Highway 9 N, Dawsonville, GA, on June 14 from 6-8 p.m.  Read full release

Certified Boat Dock Permit Lottery Drawing List

View the dock lottery status list, updated periodically.

Reduced Elevation

Mobile, Ala. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Mobile District has
begun reducing the elevation at Lake Sidney Lanier. Unprecedented recent
rain events have taken lake levels above normal for this time of year. Lake
Lanier is now above the top of conservation lake level and within the flood
storage dedicated to flood control by more than 2.5 feet. Given the long range forecast of a wetter than normal winter/spring, maintaining the normal winter pool level of 1070 as long as conditions allow is necessary for flood control capabilities.

Final Steps of Dock Lottery

Preliminary results of the lottery drawing will be posted on the contractor-maintained website in near real time subject to the ability of the contractor to enter the information into the database.  Read the full procedure.

Mobile, Ala. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Mobile District will
return to normal water control operations at Lake Sidney Lanier starting today.  Lake Lanier is now above the top of conservation lake level and within the storage dedicated to flood control. Given the long range forecast of a wetter than normal winter/spring, we will maintain the normal winter pool level of 1070 as long as conditions allow. Read the full story

Special Event Permitting for Fishing Tournaments

Loaner Lifejackets

    Safe Kids Gainesville/Hall County participated in the launch of Kids Don’t Float, a water safety program of Safe Kids USA that is designed to decrease drownings – the second leading cause of injury-related death to kids ages 1-14 – by providing loaner lifejackets at Van Pugh and Old Federal parks on Lake Lanier, and educating kids on open water safety.

     "Because drowning is so prevalent in the United States, we were delighted to host a launch of the national Kids Don’t Float program," says Kim Martin, coalition coordinator for Safe Kids Gainesville/Hall County.

     As part of the program, Safe Kids Gainesville/Hall County has set up two lifejacket loaner stations at Lake Lanier, one at Van Pugh North Park on Gaines Ferry Road and one at Old Federal Park on Jim Crow Road. Each station holds eight loaner lifejackets, ranging in size from small child to adult. The lifejackets are available for use at no charge, to be returned to the unmanned stations at the end of the day. Each station also provides education tips from "PFD Otter" on the importance of wearing lifejackets as well as instructions on how to properly fit a lifejacket. Read more