Belton Lake water level — Texas
Belton Lake in Texas was last measured at 593.35 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). That is 98.2% of conservation-pool capacity. Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−1.4 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- 98.2%
- Storage
- 424,628 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−1.4 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026 — a 89-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USGS site 08102000 · USACE SWF/BLNT2, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
This site's drainage basin covers approximately 3,570 sq mi of contributing watershed. USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 1954 (3 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind Belton Lake
Belton Lake is held back by Belton Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 192 ft high and running 5,524 ft along its crest , built across LEON RIVER in Bell County , near BELTON . It was completed in 1954 , and is owned by USACE - Fort Worth District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CESWF.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;fish and wildlife pond;recreation;water supply.
It is founded on rock;soil, with a earth core. Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 1,300 ft wide. Its outlet works use uncontrolled0.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 12,300 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,876,700 acre-ft against a normal storage of 457,600 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 472,500 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX00002 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USGS Water Services and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Belton Lake compares nearby
Belton Lake is at 98.2% of conservation-pool capacity. Of the 4 nearest lakes reporting a comparable figure, 2 are fuller, and 2 are lower. The fullest nearby is Granger Lake at 100% and the lowest is Lake Georgetown at 86.7%. All 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling, suggesting a regional pattern rather than an operation specific to this dam.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stillhouse Hollow Lake | TX | 621.52 ft | 11 km |
| Granger Lake | TX | 504.20 ft | 48 km |
| Lake Georgetown | TX | 786.97 ft | 54 km |
| Waco Lake | TX | 459.96 ft | 59 km |
| Lbc Dam 25 | TX | 594.04 ft | 59 km |
| Lbc Dam 20 | TX | 476.83 ft | 61 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Belton Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 593.35 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Belton Lake full right now?
- The source reports it at 98.2% of conservation-pool capacity as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00).
- Where does this data come from?
- From USGS site 08102000 · USACE SWF/BLNT2, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Texas
See every lake tracked in Texas, or read the methodology behind these figures.