Source for pre-lake maps of Lanier?

[Flightlead]

Anyone have a source for pre-lake maps of Lanier. That is, shortly before there was a lake there, not like civil war era?

I know the Georgia universities map collection, but that appears to be really old stuff. They also have a collection of photos take from the air, but again old and pretty difficult to actually see anything on.

Old aviation sectionals or survey maps of the area would be great. Looking to see if there's anything interesting left to dive on

 

[The Kraken]

Try the Georgia Department of Transportation or the U.S. Geological Society.

the K

 

[mikerault]

I've got a 1955 highway map I downloaded, but the resolution isn't very good.

 

[Flightlead]

That's the right time frame. Intake gates closed 1/1/56 and the lake reached full pool 5/25/59. Does it show any of the area now covered by water?

fwiw the corps of eng. site claims the deepest part of the lake, just north of the Buford Dam, is 160' at full pool. which means that most of the lake s/b within rec. limits esp. now.

 

[mike_s]

see if your county archives office has anything. I bet they do. prob not online, but they'd prob let you copy it.

 

[mikerault]

it does but not in great detail.

 

[guppygrrl]

Hey guys! Just signed up because I thought I might be of some help. I live on the lake, and ya'll dive in it, on purpose? Anyways, I'm interested in the underwater structures and was just looking at my map, which may be of some interest to you. Althought about 10 years old, it's a detailed topographical map for fishing on lanier (belonged to my late father) with underwater structures marked, including your missing racetrack, as well as the pre-existing creek and riverbeds, roads, bridges, etc. I would be glad to share, make copies, provide shore support, whatever. Let me know if/when/how ya'll want to meet up.

 

[Flightlead]

Hi GG

Yes, on purpose! I for one would be very interested in seeing your map. I'm gone this weekend, but perhaps when I get back. Do you dive?

 

[guppygrrl]

I have basic certification, but am rusty, ashamed to say. Don't kick me off the forum! I have a cool map! Funny, a few nights ago I was looking online for more information so I could do some shore exploration with the water so low. Imagine my surprise to find you guys! The thought of exploring under the lake, well, I just didn't think there'd be much to see. Can you actually see anything in all that muck?

I live on the north end of the lake, and according to the map, not many structures up here, although, I do know the sites of the racetrack and a former cemetary (maybe). Looking at the maps though, most of the submerged structures seem to be in groups, more towards the middle and southern end. And there are alot. How many different sites have you found? Looks like there are still bridges intact underwater too, that would have crossed the original riverbed.

 

[Flightlead]

In terms of structures I personally have not dove any in Lanier. We have plenty of areas of trees that we dive, some standing, some in piles as they were cut down, some natural and man made rock formations. You are really wetting my appetite with that map! a cemetery? having just dove the graveyard at jocasee now I'm really interested.

as far as the visibility, it depends on the time of year and the bottom consistency. also somewhat whether there have been heavy rains recently. In the winter the lake "turns over", thermoclines disappear, algae dies off and the bottom becomes more oxygenated. the visibility can be up to 40' in the middle of the winter. as it warms back up in the spring thermoclines reappear, the bottom layers become hypoxic and there is a bit of a die off. as the upper layers warm up algae blooms reducing visibility. excessive power boat traffic in the summer also reduces visibility. in the last few weeks I've seen visibility as bad as 2' at 80-100' on silt bottoms, to 25' at 50-60' depth on rocky bottom.