Yates
Lake level*
343.56
Generators
2
Generation Output
12374.97cfs
Temperature
35°F
Humidity
95%
Wind
0mph
*Lake elevations are always subject to change, depending on conditions. Individuals who recreate below our dams and those with boats and water-related equipment on our lakes and facilities should always stay alert to changing conditions and be prepared to take the necessary steps to protect their property.
About Lake Levels
Ever wondered why the water at your favorite lake is often higher or lower than when you last visited?
Alabama Power operates two kinds of lakes: 1) Run of River, and 2) Storage. Lay, Mitchell and Jordan lakes on the Coosa River, Yates and Thurlow lakes on the Tallapoosa River, and Bankhead and Holt lakes (owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) on the Warrior River are called “run-of-river” projects that discharge essentially the same amount of water that flows into them. This type of operation gives them a fairly consistent lake level year round. These lakes were not designed with flood control as a specific project purpose. Alternatively, “storage” projects like Weiss, Henry, and Logan Martin lakes on the Coosa River, Harris and Martin lakes on the Tallapoosa River, and Smith lake on the Warrior (Sipsey) River provide seasonal storage, having different summer and winter pool levels, and are drawn down late fall into the winter to provide a means of managing and storing winter/spring rains. These operations provide a measure of protection against downstream flooding during high flow events. These storage projects normally have their levels returned to summer pool levels during the spring timeframe. Water stored in these storage lakes can also help mitigate some impacts of drought by providing a limited source of water for use when it is scarce, such as during drought periods.
The need for water in summer and fall can often exceed the natural supply. Most big lakes also operate for many other reasons — hydropower, recreation, navigation and the environment. Each of these purposes can factor into whether water is released, causing a fall in lake levels particularly during the late summer and fall periods.
Floods are normally the cause of the greatest and quickest changes in lake levels. Heavy rains produce floods that can raise a lake level several feet overnight. When floods are over, it is important to get the lake ready to store water from the next flood that may come along, and that is done by returning the lake to its normal level.
Lake Conditions
Yates spillway release is 0 cfs. Total discharge is 12375 cfs. Lake elevations are always subject to change, depending on conditions.Special Operations
During the winter and spring months, when rainfall is more frequent for our area, rain events can cause changes to lake elevations, sometimes very quickly. And spill gates at the dams are subject to opening more frequently as well. Individuals that recreate below our dams and those with boats and water-related equipment and facilities on our lakes should always stay alert to changing conditions and be prepared to take the necessary steps to protect their property.Seasonal Level Data
Tentative Operating Schedules
| Start Time | Generators |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 2 |
| Start Time | Generators |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 2 |
| Start Time | Generators |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 2 |
| 5:00 PM | 1 |
| 11:00 PM | 0 |
Yates
Yates Dam was named for Eugene A. Yates in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Alabama Power Company and to its customers as an engineer and administrator. Yates joined Alabama Power in 1912 as chief engineer and was responsible for completing Lay Dam, the company’s first hydroelectric plant.
Though Yates Dam is modest in size and capacity when compared with other Alabama Power plants, its location gives it special significance. The dam stands on the site of Alabama’s first hydroelectric plant, which began delivering electricity over a 25-mile transmission line to Montgomery in 1912. At the dedication ceremony, Alabama Power President Thomas Martin said the location of Yates Dam “…should ever be recognized as a symbol of progress, of foresight and of scientific and economic research.”
Yates Reservoir Facts:
Area: 2,000 acres
In service: 07/01/1928
- Upstream buoys mark the presence of hydropower facility.
- Swirling water and strong underwater currents at powerhouse intakes.
- Strong unpredictable currents, presence of submerged hazards and low visibility upstream of dam spillways and trash gates.
- Turbulent discharges from automatically operated turbines.
- Cascading spillway discharges, strong unpredictable currents below dam and presence of debris passing over or through dam.
- Strong upstream currents in surface waters (reverse flow).
- Swift, turbulent waters below spillway.
- Slippery surfaces on shoreline.
- Submerged hazards and rapidly rising waters from turbine or spillway discharge.
