Erosion control and land drying for Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair propertiesKeep the hill out of the lake.

It depends where the work is. Any work on Georgia Power land or inside the 25-foot vegetative buffer on Lake Oconee needs Georgia Power's written approval first, plus any county or state permits. Away from the water, a county land-disturbing permit is generally required at 1 acre or more of disturbance; smaller single-family projects still have to follow the minimum practices.

Source: Georgia Power — Lake Oconee Shoreline Guidelines (2026)

Georgia keeps a 25-foot buffer along the banks of all state waters, measured horizontally from the point where vegetation has been wrested by normal stream flow or wave action, and 50 feet along trout streams. No land-disturbing activity is allowed in it until the site is finished, except listed exemptions or an approved variance. Counties may set wider buffers.

Source: GSWCC Model Soil Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Ordinance (revised June 2016)

Possibly. State law exempts seawalls built to prevent shoreline erosion on these two lakes from the 25-foot buffer rule, but Georgia Power only considers new seawalls where cut-bank erosion is evident, requires county and state permits, and requires riprap on the lake side of any new or replacement wall. It favors rip-rap seawalls for their lower disturbance.

Source: Georgia Power — Lake Oconee Shoreline Guidelines (2026)

Georgia's erosion field manual says to apply mulch or temporary grass to all exposed areas within 14 days of disturbance. That is the standard most county inspectors look for. On a slope above the lake, sooner is better: one summer thunderstorm on freshly graded clay can move more soil than weeks of gentle rain.

Source: GSWCC Field Manual for Erosion & Sediment Control in Georgia (2016 edition)

Generally not on your own. Georgia Power only considers tree removal on its land for hazards or construction, requires replanting at a 1:1 ratio when it allows cutting, and may require a landscape plan. Roots hold the bank, so removing trees usually speeds erosion. Thinning and trimming are allowed in the state buffer only if protective cover and canopy remain.

Source: Georgia Power — Lake Oconee Shoreline Guidelines (2026)

National guides put hydroseeding at about $0.07 to $0.21 per square foot (LawnStarter, 2026), erosion grid or blanket at $0.65 to $1.60 per square foot, and retaining walls at $40 to $345 per linear foot (Lawn Love, 2026). Most lake-lot jobs combine several methods, and access to the shoreline can matter as much as square footage.

Source: LawnStarter — How Much Does Hydroseeding Cost in 2026? (updated October 5, 2026)

Land drying means fixing ground that stays saturated so it stops slumping, rutting and eroding. It usually combines subsurface drainage like French drains with grading that sends surface water off the site and stabilization of the reshaped ground. Wet ground erodes and fails more easily than dry ground, which is why drainage and erosion control are often one job.

Only in limits. Georgia Power discourages turfgrass inside the project boundary and the 25-foot state buffer, may allow up to 30 percent approved turf coverage where it is permissible, and permits none in some locations. It recommends native trees, shrubs and perennials, which hold soil better and filter runoff before it reaches the lake.

Source: Georgia Power — Lake Oconee Shoreline Guidelines (2026)