Lake Oconee was formed in 1979 when Georgia Power’s Wallace Dam backed up the Oconee and Apalachee rivers, creating about 19,000 acres of water and roughly 374 miles of shoreline across Greene, Putnam and Morgan counties. It is home to Reynolds Lake Oconee and the Ritz-Carlton, along with communities like Harbor Club, Cuscowilla and Del Webb at Lake Oconee. The lake is less than an hour from our Athens base, closer than much of our service area, and lake homes are some of the most rewarding pools we build.
Georgia Power Shoreline Rules
Georgia Power manages the land along the lake’s edge, and its Lake Oconee guidelines do not allow swimming pools on Georgia Power property. Fences and water features are also not allowed inside the project boundary, and work in the shoreline vegetative buffer needs local permits. In practice, that means the pool has to sit on your own land, outside the project boundary. We confirm where that line falls on your lot before we design anything.
County Permits Around the Lake
Which office permits your pool depends on the county. In Greene County, which includes Reynolds and much of the Greensboro side of the lake, permits go through Greene County Building and Zoning in Greensboro, and the pool must be shown on the site plan with stream, wetland and floodplain buffers. Septic lots need an Environmental Health approval letter. On the Putnam County side near Eatonton, permits go through Putnam County Planning and Development. We prepare the plans and coordinate every approval and inspection.
Designing a Lake Home Pool
A lake pool should frame the water, not compete with it. We look at grade toward the shoreline, drainage, views from the house and how equipment will reach the site, then build a 3D design rendering. Gunite is the usual choice, because it can be stepped into a slope and finished with a vanishing edge that lines up with the lake.
Popular Lake Features
- Vanishing and perimeter-overflow edges
- Raised spillover spas
- Tanning ledges with in-water loungers
- Pebble and quartz interiors
- LED lighting and full automation
- Automatic safety covers for second homes
Call (706) 705-7751 to schedule a consultation for your Lake Oconee home.
