Houston County Lake water level — Texas
Houston County Lake in Texas was last measured at 259.35 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:15 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.5 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.5 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 08065330 · USACE SWF/CRTT2, 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 49 sq mi of contributing watershed. USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2010 .
The dam behind Houston County Lake
Houston County Lake is held back by Houston County Lake Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 51 ft high and running 1,700 ft along its crest , built across LITTLE ELKHART CREEK in Houston County . It was completed in 1966 , and is owned by HOUSTON COUNTY WCID 1 (a local government owner) , to a design credited to LLOYD ENGINEERS.
Its recorded primary purpose is water supply — delivering water to its customers comes first, so drawdown here follows demand as much as it follows rainfall . It also serves water supply;recreation.
It is founded on 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 552 ft wide. Its outlet works use uncontrolled2;valve2.
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. Its most recent condition assessment was fair: sound under normal loading, though a rare or extreme event could expose a deficiency. That assessment is dated 11/28/2023.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 1,282 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 56,422 acre-ft against a normal storage of 27,091 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 2 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by TCEQ.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX03268 , filed by Texas — 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 Houston County Lake compares nearby
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Jacksonville | TX | 420.91 ft | 67 km |
| Lake Limestone at Lake Limestone Marina | TX | 361.12 ft | 68 km |
| Lake Limestone | TX | 362.05 ft | 69 km |
| Lake Palestine | TX | 343.39 ft | 74 km |
| Lake Nacogdoches | TX | 276.73 ft | 76 km |
| Lake Striker | TX | 291.43 ft | 83 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Houston County Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:15 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 259.35 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Houston County Lake full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USGS site 08065330 · USACE SWF/CRTT2, 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.