Before The HornUnofficial

River access

Buford Tailwater — access points ordered downstream from the dam, with siren coverage and how long a release takes to reach each one.

Sirens only cover the first stretch below the dam.

Four warning sirens sit between the dam and the GA 20 bridge and sound about five minutes before a release. Below GA 20 you may not hear them at all — from there down, the published schedule and your own plan are the warning. Check the current verdict and the official USACE Mobile District schedule before you get in, wherever you are.

Inside siren coverage

  • Bowman's Island — Lower Pool Park

    Siren coverage
    Water rises after a release
    under 30 min after generation starts at the dam (published planning figure — varies with load and weather).Immediately below the dam — the published table starts at GA 20 (30–60 min). Treat the rise as immediate: this stretch is what the sirens are for.
    Access
    Boat ramp; closest tailwater access below the dam. CRNRA day-use fee.
    DirectionsNPS page

Below GA 20 — no siren coverage

  • Settles Bridge

    No siren coverage
    Water rises after a release
    45 min – 1 h 30 min after generation starts at the dam (published planning figure — varies with load and weather).
    Access
    Canoe launch and trail to the historic bridge ruins. 380 Johnson Rd, Suwanee. CRNRA day-use fee.
    DirectionsNPS page

  • McGinnis Ferry

    No siren coverage
    Water rises after a release
    1 h 45 min – 2 h after generation starts at the dam (published planning figure — varies with load and weather).
    Access
    Launch access. CRNRA day-use fee.
    Directions

  • Suwanee Creek

    No siren coverage
    Water rises after a release
    No published figure for this point.No published figure for this point. It sits between McGinnis Ferry (1:45–2:00) and Abbotts Bridge (3:15–4:30) — assume water can arrive as early as about 1 hour 45 minutes after a release.
    Access
    Chattahoochee Drive trailhead. CRNRA day-use fee.
    Directions

  • Abbotts Bridge (GA 120)

    No siren coverage
    Water rises after a release
    3 h 15 min – 4 h 30 min after generation starts at the dam (published planning figure — varies with load and weather).
    Access
    Boat ramp, picnic area, fishing access. Duluth. CRNRA day-use fee.
    DirectionsNPS page

  • Medlock Bridge (GA 141)

    No siren coverage
    Water rises after a release
    3 h 30 min – 4 h 45 min after generation starts at the dam (published planning figure — varies with load and weather).
    Access
    Boat ramp, small picnic area, ~2 miles of trails. Peachtree Corners. CRNRA day-use fee. Downstream end of the covered reach.
    Directions

Before you go

  • Release schedule by phone: (770) 945-1466 or 1-855-DAM-FLOW. Near the dam, releases are also announced on 1610 AM.
  • All CRNRA units charge a day-use fee (day and annual passes).
  • Wave arrival times are planning figures for when water begins to rise — it keeps rising after that. Leaving early beats leaving on time.
  • Coordinates point at the official park entrance; parking can be up to a mile further in.

Hazard notes per access point (drop-offs, shelves, wading ledges) are deliberately absent until they can be verified in the field — this page only states what its sources support. Provenance: PHASE3_ACCESS_RESEARCH.md.