Dam operators post the next day's generation schedule each afternoon. Knowing when generators are running — and when they're off — is the difference between a great day on the water and a wasted drive to a blown-out river.
Loading schedule…
The Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam near Gainesville, Georgia is metro Atlanta's premier trout fishery and one of the most heavily fished tailwaters in the South. The Army Corps maintains cold releases from Lake Lanier year-round, supporting rainbow and brown trout within an hour's drive of millions of anglers. The 48-mile stretch designated as the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is a remarkable urban fishery.
Tailwater rivers below hydroelectric dams are controlled fisheries — the river's character changes completely depending on whether the dam is generating power. When generators run, water rises, currents accelerate, and wading conditions range from difficult to dangerous. When generation stops, the river drops to a low-flow state ideal for wade fishing.
Dam operators post the next day's generation schedule each afternoon — but finding that schedule means navigating agency websites and PDFs that aren't designed for anglers. TailwaterAlerts translates that data into a clear, hourly email you can read in 30 seconds.
The USACE posts generation schedules on their website, typically between 2 and 4 PM CT for the following day. You can check the USACE schedule directly, or sign up below and TailwaterAlerts will email you a formatted, easy-to-read version the moment it posts.
Buford Dam can release enough water to make the entire upper section of the Chattahoochee dangerous for wading in a matter of minutes. The Corps posts generation schedules a day in advance, and sirens sound at the dam when generation begins. Low-flow windows — typically several hours per day — are the primary wading opportunity, and knowing those windows in advance is essential for planning and safety.
TailwaterAlerts checks the generation schedule every 5 minutes starting at 1 PM CT. The moment the schedule posts, you get an email with a color-coded hourly breakdown and the best wading window highlighted. One email per day. Free. No app required.
Your river is pre-selected below. Add others if you fish multiple tailwaters.
This is free and always will be. If it saves you a wasted drive, buy me a coffee.