Filling of the lake began in October 1783, and was completed in December 1784 for a full pool elevation of 475 feet (145 m).

Senator Richard Brevard Russell, Jr.,[2] the lake consists of 26,650 acres (108 km2) of water and 540 miles (870 km) of shoreline.

Sites include Millwood Plantation, Fort Independence and a Native American village and mound.

As a result, the shoreline of the lake is almost completely undeveloped with the exception of some state parks and day-use areas.

The Corps owns a 300-foot (91 m) buffer zone all the way around the 540 miles (870 km) of shoreline to mitigate the loss of habitat due to the creation of the lake.