The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District will lower Old Hickory Lake this November for the first time since November 2023. The lake will hold one to two feet below normal pool from Nov. 6 through Nov. 20, 2026. That is about two weeks of low water. Along Hendersonville's coves, the edge that usually sits underwater will be dry enough to walk, clean and inspect.
The Corps wrote the rules for that edge years ago, and they divide shoreline work into a few categories. Clearing debris needs no permission, and removing storm damage starts with a call to the Corps. Dock repair, minor dredging and erosion control need permits, and the Corps' own permit says some of that work has to be done "in the dry." Because the low water lasts only two weeks, the paperwork matters as much as the work.
The calendar, as the Corps published it
The Corps announced the schedule on Sept. 15, 2026, and the Hendersonville Standard reported it on Sept. 24 using a Corps photo of the shoreline at Lock 3 Recreation Area.
| Date | Planned lake level |
|---|---|
| Nov. 2 | Slow drawdown begins from normal pool of about 445 feet above mean sea level |
| Nov. 6 | Lake reaches the 443-foot target |
| Nov. 6 to Nov. 20 | Lake holds between 443 and 443.5 feet |
| Nov. 28 | Corps aims to be back at normal pool, 445 feet |
The Corps adds that rainfall and other conditions may change these levels, so the dates are targets. The agency says it uses the low water to check the shoreline next to its own recreation areas and to do maintenance there.
The 2023 drawdown ran on almost the same plan. The water started dropping Oct. 30, the target band was the same 443 to 443.5 feet, and the Corps aimed to refill by Nov. 27. The Corps' 2023 announcement also said why the low water matters to people outside the agency. It called the lower pool an opportunity for lakefront owners and marina operators to maintain docks, retaining walls and other facilities. The 2026 release focuses on the Corps' own inspections. The same rules still apply to private shoreline work.
Some work needs no permission
Cleanup is the easiest category. Under the 2020 Old Hickory Lake Shoreline Management Plan, removing drift, trash and other debris from public land does not require permission. A strip that is underwater most of the year can collect fallen limbs, driftwood and litter. During the hold, much of that will be in reach.
The plan does put limits on how the cleanup is done:
- Storm-damaged trees and brush can be removed only after contacting the Resource Manager.
- Equipment is limited to rubber-tire machines, such as a front-end loader, to reduce damage to public land.
- Damage to public property during cleanup has to be repaired to its original condition.
- Burning on public land is generally prohibited.
- Disposal of household trash, grass clippings, leaves, limbs, oil or chemicals in the lake or on public land is prohibited.
The plan also says that in most communities around the lake, local public works departments will pick up tree limbs and driftwood placed at the edge of the road. Hendersonville's own pickup rules are the city's to confirm.
Dock and shoreline work needs a permit first
Most of the work that makes a drawdown useful for structures falls under Regional General Permit 25-RGP-01. It took effect Nov. 5, 2025 and runs until Nov. 4, 2030, so it covers this drawdown.
For Old Hickory Lake, the permit covers three kinds of work: maintaining or modifying existing private docks, minor dredging, and shoreline stabilization. That coverage comes with conditions. Before working on Corps property, an applicant first needs a shoreline-use permit from the Natural Resource Manager and a verification from the Corps. The shoreline-use application counts as the notification.
The permit links some of this work directly to low water:
- Dredging has to be done during winter drawdown and "in the dry," with drainage toward the lake.
- Fill and excavation for shoreline stabilization also have to be done in the dry.
- Riprap, the loose rock used to armor a bank, is capped at 500 linear feet. It cannot extend below winter-pool elevation and is limited to one cubic yard per running foot. Tennessee may require its own authorization as well.
The 2020 shoreline plan adds its own limits. The Resource Manager has to approve erosion-control plans and materials. The plan prohibits retaining walls, and shoreline work larger than the general permit allows can require an individual Department of the Army permit. Grandfathered docks can be repaired or rebuilt to their permitted dimensions with the Resource Manager's permission. A structurally sound dock damaged by a storm or natural disaster can be repaired with the Resource Manager's authorization.
Every step in this process comes before any work starts. The permit requires in-the-dry work for some projects, and in 2026 the dry period is scheduled for Nov. 6 through Nov. 20. The drawdown begins Nov. 2, three weeks from today.
The shoreline rules are under review
The Corps has been working on a replacement for the 2020 plan. In January, the Old Hickory Lake Resource Management Office held two public workshops on a shoreline management plan update. The first was Jan. 13, 2026 at Mt. Juliet Middle School and the second was Jan. 14 at Gallatin High School. Written comments were due Feb. 13.
The Corps' announcement listed proposed changes. One would remove natural rock placement as an approved erosion-control method. Another would set a minimum frontage for residential lots next to common areas to qualify for a slip at a community dock. The update posted in the Corps' digital library is labeled "DRAFT PLAN – TRACKED CHANGES SEPTEMBER 2025." The shoreline rules may be changing while erosion-control projects for this drawdown are being planned, so the Resource Manager's office is the place to confirm which rules apply.
The public shoreline in the weeks before the drop
The drawdown follows a busy stretch of October on Hendersonville's public waterfront. The city's events calendar lists:
- PIGFEST, Oct. 22 to 24, at Veterans Park, 144 Scotch Street
- Fall Carnival, Oct. 25 to 30, also at Veterans Park
- World Bass Pro Fishing Tournament, Oct. 29 to 31, at Sanders Ferry Park, 513 Sanders Ferry Road
- Trick or Treat, Oct. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Drakes Creek Park Athletic Complex, 131 Conway Twitty Lane
The tournament ends Oct. 31, and the Corps starts lowering the lake two days later. The city calendar is a live listing, so dates can change.
As of the Corps' operational status page updated Oct. 9, 2026, Lock 3 is open. Rockland is partially open, with its boat ramp marked open, and Cages Bend's recreation area, campground and ramp are open. Rockland's ramp has been through a lot this year. In August, the Corps closed the ramp and parking lot for resurfacing as part of tornado recovery. During those closures it sent boaters to Walton Ferry, Mallard Point, Sanders Ferry, Saundersville and Stark Knob.
The Corps describes Lock 3 as a swim beach with a launch ramp and lists bank-fishing piers at Rockland and Sanders Ferry. For the latest ramp status, the status page and the Corps' Old Hickory Lake Facebook page are the official sources.
Who to contact
All of this goes through one office. The Old Hickory Lake Resource Manager's Office is at No. 5 Power Plant Road in Hendersonville. The Corps lists it as the contact for questions about the drawdown at (615) 822-4846, and for shoreline matters by email at [email protected]. Shoreline-use permits, approval to remove storm-damaged vegetation, and erosion-control plans all start there. The answers that matter most for this drawdown are whether a given dock or bank project falls under the general permit and how the draft plan update might affect it.
On a lakefront home, the dock, its permits and the condition of the bank are part of what changes hands. If the drawdown has you thinking about your dock, your bank or your next step on Old Hickory Lake, The Rounsaville Group can talk through how those details play into a sale or purchase in Hendersonville. Request a Private Consultation, and we'll start with your stretch of shoreline.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
