Oconee is a Creek Indian word meaning “great waters.”   Lake Oconee is known for a water level that remains constant even during mild droughts and it is the second largest lake in Georgia.

     The total shoreline at full pool is measured at approximately 376 miles.   Lake Oconee is the second largest lake located entirely in Georgia, with over 19,050 acres.   Depths of up to 100 feet can be seen close to the dam, but the average depth is approximately 21 feet.

     Lake Oconee was built in 1980 when Georgia Power Company completed the Wallace Dam.

     Georgia Power completed the dam to form Lake Oconee in 1979 and is filled by the Oconee and Appalachia Rivers.  The water in Lake Oconee is recycled from Lake Sinclair to produce electricity.

     For generations, people have recognized the restorative power of the waters of Lake Oconee.   More than a century ago, the Creek Indians lived beside a river they called Okoni or "The Great Water."   Today those waters form a magnificent lake renowned for its natural beauty and superb recreation.  The lake is not used for flood, drought, or water control.  This unique operation in combination with the lake's long, narrow shape produces noticeable water current throughout the lake during power generation and pumpback.

     According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources cove rotenone samples, there is a standing crop estimated at 355 pound of fish per acre.  That is 2½ time more than any other lake in the southeast.   Because the lake is a young, impoundment  it is still peaking in number of fish per acre.  It is considered by fishermen to be the "hottest" and one of the most fertile lakes in the state.

     Lake Oconee is also known for being a hot spot for Great Golfing Communities.

     Lake Oconee runs through Morgan, Greene, Hancock, and Putnam counties.