Lake Blue Ridge, Fannin County Georgia (pictures made May 5, 2008)

Lake Blue Ridge was one of the many lakes in North Georgia which suffered from last year's drought. But oh, what a difference a little rain can make. Lake Blue Ridge is almost full pool now. Many of the locals use the penstock at the dam as a way to measure the lake level. You can see the dark brown ring around the penstock in the picture above. When the lake is full, the brown ring will not be visible. So, in this picture, you can see that the lake is almost at full pool. Thanks to rains that have the upper Toccoa River flowing strong. Last year, much of the shoreline was visible throughout the summer months.

Behind the scenes:

Blue Ridge Reservoir just below the earthen dam was built along the Toccoa River. The river is noted for sunfish, trout and bass. The earthen dam is 167 feet high and stretches 1000 feet across the river. Lake Blue Ridge Dam is one of the largest earthen dams in North America. The powerhouse seems to be a popular place for fishing.

About Lake Blue Ridge

• 3300 acre lake with 100 miles of shoreline. 80% of the shoreline is protected U.S. Forest Service land.
• 50 public campsites around the lake
• 1690 feet above sea level
• Known for its white bass and small bass fishing
• Lake Blue Ridge Marina is a full service marina and the only one on the lake. It is open Tuesday through Sunday.

Donna Yates, Georgia Realtor primarily serving the North Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains located in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Donna is dedicated to the real estate profession full-time and is ready to help home buyers nationwide. Donna is an advocate for home buyers and firmly believes buyers need full representation.
Email: Donna@ellijay.com Call 706-633-0644 cell. Visit Donna's website to view great mountain properties: www.move2northgeorgia.net

Copyright: Donna Yates, Georgia Realtor, "Around the Mountains with Donna" May 5, 2008