Buying near Lake Blue Ridge: TVA land, docks and permits

On Lake Blue Ridge the first question isn’t the house. It’s the shore in front of it. The Chattahoochee National Forest borders roughly 80 percent of the lake’s 65 miles of shoreline (TVA), and the Forest Service’s Recreation.gov listing says 25 percent of the shoreline is developed. Anything you build at the water, from a dock to a path, runs through TVA.

Who controls the shoreline

Most of the shore is national forest. Where a private lot does reach the lake, find out who holds the strip along the water. Any activity on TVA-owned land needs TVA permission first, even activities that would otherwise be exempt (TVA). Where TVA owns only a flowage easement over the shoreland rather than the land itself, the terms of that easement and the rest of 18 CFR 1304 govern its use (TVA). Your deed, survey and title work should answer this before you fall for a view. Our shoreline ownership explainer goes deeper.

Section 26a: the permit behind every dock

Building, changing or maintaining anything along a TVA reservoir shoreline, including docks, shoreline stabilization and vegetation removal, needs a TVA Section 26a permit. TVA treats residential docks, piers, boathouses, and paths or steps under 8 feet wide as “minor” projects; boat ramps, dredging and community docks are “major” projects. Our 26a dock permit guide walks through the process.

On TVA reservoirs, 26a jurisdiction typically reaches the 500-year floodplain (the area with a 0.2% yearly chance of flooding) or the upper limit of TVA's land rights, whichever is higher. (TVA, checked Oct 18, 2026)

How big a dock can be

Under 18 CFR 1304, residential docks, piers, boathouses and other water-use facilities are limited to a 1,000-square-foot total footprint, or 1,800 square feet in areas of preexisting development. If the home you like has a dock, ask for its 26a permit and compare the permit with what is in the water.

When the home changes hands

A dock permit doesn’t simply ride along with the deed. When waterfront land with a permitted dock changes hands, the new owner must notify TVA within 60 days. TVA reissues the permit if the facilities are in good repair and meet the original standards. Put the notice on your closing checklist, and ask about the dock’s condition before you sign.

When waterfront land with a permitted dock changes hands, the new owner must notify TVA within 60 days. TVA reissues the permit if the facilities are in good repair and meet the original standards. (TVA, checked Oct 18, 2026)

If you plan to build

A 26a permit expires if construction is not started within 18 months of issuance. We couldn’t confirm TVA’s current fees or processing times, so ask TVA directly before you count on a timeline.

The water moves about 22 feet

In a year with normal rainfall the lake level varies about 22 feet between summer and winter (TVA). TVA’s guide curve holds near 1,686 feet through July and reaches its low of 1,664.8 feet at the turn of the year (TVA). A cove that looks deep in July can look very different in January, so visit in winter if you can, and see our lake levels guide for the full curve.

The dam safety study

As of October 2026, TVA says Blue Ridge Dam is safe for normal operations and that its safety study is scheduled to be completed during calendar year 2026. TVA says it has no active plans to change the reservoir’s seasonal levels, and that a new dam is only one of many options under study. It calls any decision premature until the study is finished (TVA). Our dam safety study explainer tracks what TVA has and hasn’t said.

A buyer’s checklist

Homes near the lake

The homes below are listed by Gold Peach Realty, the North Georgia brokerage that publishes this guide. We don’t publish prices or market statistics on Visit Lake Blue Ridge. Ask the brokerage about any home, and check the permits above for yourself.

Questions people ask