Is it okay to swim in Lake Lanier?

It is VERY important to obey these signs as Lake Lanier is one of the most dangerous lakes OUTSIDE of designated swimming areas (likely due to high boating traffic and various submerged debris – read more about Lake Lanier history here). Swimmers are encouraged to swim at designated swim areas only.



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“Per the lease agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Margaritaville hospitality company, the lessee is within their rights to restrict water access around the property due to concerns of safety.”

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Within a few days after lake turnover, the dissolved metals become insoluble and settle to the bottom. This leaves the lake water clear from the top to bottom, and the river water clears as well. Metals that have settled on the river bottom are eventually washed downstream by the daily generations.

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Lake Lanier: Georgia's most popular—and dangerous—lake. Lake Lanier is a reservoir created by the dammed-up Chattahoochee River. It's located in the middle of northern Georgia, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta and about 100 miles south of the Tennessee border.

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During this time of year, Lake Lanier can experience a “Lake Turnover.” During these events, which are prompted by a change in the air temperature, the lake experiences an inversion of the surface water and deeper water. This can cause a taste/odor event.

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Key Points: Alligators don't live in Lake Lanier. The waters are too cold for alligators to survive long-term. There have been occasional sightings of alligators but it is rare.

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Of the 39 drownings, eight have occurred at Lake Lanier. A 24-year-old man, identified as Thomas Milner, also died after he jumped into the lake and was electrocuted. None of the state's boating fatalities this year have been at Lake Lanier.

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The controversial and deadly history of Georgia's Lake Lanier. Over 200 people have died in boating or swimming accidents at Georgia's Lake Lanier since 1994, fueling theories that the manmade lake is haunted.

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Christmas Day 1964 is known as the deadliest day at Lake Lanier, when a driver lost control of their car while crossing a bridge. The car then flipped into the lake, where five children and two adults drowned.

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