| Surface area | About 56,000 acres |
|---|---|
| Shoreline | 962 miles |
| Depth | 45 ft average, 185 ft maximum |
| Built | 1955–1963 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Public land around it | 20,000+ acres |
| Water level | Traditional full pool 660 ft; interim target 656 ft since 2026 (why) |
| Record low | 637.49 ft (December 9, 2008) |
Where it is
Hartwell sits on the Georgia–South Carolina line where the Tugaloo and Seneca rivers meet to form the Savannah River. It touches Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties in South Carolina and Hart, Franklin and Stephens counties in Georgia. Towns on or near the water include Hartwell and Lavonia in Georgia and Anderson, Clemson, Townville, Fair Play and Starr in South Carolina.
What lives in it
Three species of black bass, striped bass, hybrid bass, black crappie and bream, per SC DNR. Bassmaster's kayak series has held events here, including an April 2023 stop.
Who runs it
The Corps' Hartwell project office is at 5625 Anderson Hwy (US 29), Hartwell, GA 30643, phone 888-893-0678. Several former Corps parks are now run by Hart, Anderson and Oconee counties and the City of Clemson; see where to launch.
Sources
- Recreation.gov: Hartwell Lake
- Corps Lakes Gateway: Hartwell Lake
- SC DNR: Lake Hartwell description
- Wikipedia: Lake Hartwell
- Anderson County: Bassmaster Kayak Series on Lake Hartwell
Checked November 2026. Spot something out of date? Tell us.