Flood zones and lake levels on Pickwick Lake

The short version: Pickwick Lake is not one level all year. TVA holds it about six feet lower in winter than in summer, and raises it higher still to hold back floods. A lot that looks perfect in July can have a mud flat in January, and part of it may sit in a mapped flood zone. Check both before you buy.

Summer pool and winter pool

TVA runs Pickwick Lake on a yearly cycle. The typical summer operating range is 413 to 414 feet above sea level, and the minimum winter elevation is 408 feet. The drawdown on the main river starts after Labor Day, the lake is usually at or below its winter level by January 1, filling starts in mid-March, and the lake is back to summer pool around mid-April to early May.

413–414 ftTypical summer pool

408 ftMinimum winter pool

Mid-MarchSpring fill begins

After Labor DayFall drawdown begins

Six feet does not sound like much, but on a shallow, gently sloping cove it can move the water's edge a long way. That matters for where a dock can go, whether a boat can reach it in winter, and what the view looks like for half the year.

Flood storage above summer pool

TVA also uses Pickwick Lake to hold back floodwater. The reservoir has nearly 493,000 acre-feet of flood storage above its normal range, and during flood operations the lake can go higher than its flood guide level. TVA's rules define a "flood control storage zone" on every reservoir, and any fill or construction inside that zone is reviewed by TVA, which can turn down projects that take away storage. Recreational vehicles parked in the zone have to stay mobile with quick-disconnect utilities.

Along much of the shoreline, TVA either owns the land outright or holds a flowage easement: a right, recorded on the deed, to flood privately owned land. If a lot is subject to a flowage easement, TVA's Section 26a permit rules apply to it just as they do to TVA land, and septic tanks and drain fields are not allowed on TVA-owned land at all.

What TVA means by the 500-year flood

TVA's regulations define the 500-year floodplain as the area with a 0.2 percent chance of flooding in any given year, and a "flood risk profile elevation" that adjusts that level for how the dam is operated. Some permit rules key off it. For example, the electrical disconnect for a dock must be above the 500-year floodplain or the flood risk profile, whichever is higher. Before you plan a house, ask TVA's Section 26a office and the county floodplain administrator what elevation your finished floor has to be above on that specific lot.

FEMA flood zones and insurance

Separately from TVA, FEMA maps flood risk for the National Flood Insurance Program. Look up any address at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. The zone letters mean:

Zone AE: high risk, with a base flood elevation set on the map.
Zone A: high risk, but no base flood elevation has been determined.
Zone X (shaded): moderate risk, inside the 0.2 percent annual chance floodplain.
Zone X (unshaded): outside the mapped floodplain.

If a structure sits even partly in a high-risk zone (Zone A or AE) and the loan is federally backed, the lender will require flood insurance. Get a quote before you make an offer, not after.

What to check before you buy

Look at the lot in winter, or ask for winter photos. Where does the water's edge sit at 408 feet?
Pull the FEMA map for the address and note the zone. If it is A or AE, price in flood insurance and ask whether an elevation certificate exists.
Read the deed for a flowage easement and ask TVA whether it owns a strip between the lot and the water.
Ask the county floodplain administrator (building or planning office) what elevation a house or septic system must meet.
Check today's level and the forecast on TVA's lake levels page, or call TVA Lake Info at 800-238-2264 and enter reservoir code 32 for Pickwick Lake.