Chattahoochee Tailwater Conditions
Should you fish, float, or stay home? One page, live data, plain English.
New here? The Chattahoochee below Buford Dam isn’t a normal river — when the dam releases water, it can rise several feet in under an hour. This page pulls live readings from the river and the dam’s release schedule, and turns them into one simple answer: is the river safe and worth fishing right now? Green means go, yellow means check first, red means stay out.
Adjust these to match your own comfort level. Saved in your browser only.
Buford Dam Release
Norcross Gauge · USGS 02335000
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- A life jacket (PFD) is required by law when wading above the Highway 20 Bridge.
- A life jacket and wading belt are always recommended on the entire tailwater.
Highway 20 Bridge — PFD required above this point
Travel time: ~4–6 hrs from Buford Dam to Jones Bridge. Recede: 4–6 hrs after release ends.
Always call to confirm the release schedule before heading out.
770-945-1466 Toll-free: 1-855-326-3569
This page is for general information only. It is not a substitute for official sources, and should never be your only basis for a safety decision.
The Chattahoochee River downstream of Buford Dam is subject to release of water and increase of flows within the river. The undertaking of any activity within the Chattahoochee River is a voluntary act and done at the risk of each participant.
The thresholds and status indicators shown here are general guidance, not professional safety advice. River conditions can change rapidly and without warning.
Erä Outfitters, its owners, and affiliates accept no liability for any injury, death, loss, or damage to any individual or third party for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages or lost profit resulting from any use or misuse of data or information from this page.
A life jacket (PFD) is always recommended when wading the tailwater and is required by law above the Highway 20 Bridge. A wading belt is always recommended.
You assume all risk when entering the river. Always verify conditions independently, call the hotline, and exercise your own judgment.
- USGS Norcross Gauge — River depth, water clarity, streamflow
- USACE Buford Dam Discharge — Real-time CFS from the dam
- USACE Release Schedule — Daily hourly generation schedule
- NPS Jones Bridge — Safety, flow limits, E. coli
- 770-945-1466 — Dam release hotline (1-855-326-3569)
Data sourced from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Geological Survey. All readings are provisional and subject to revision.