Lake Buchanan water level — Texas
Lake Buchanan in Texas was last measured at 1,019.32 ft (datum NAVD88), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:10 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.7 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.7 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 08148000, 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 31,828 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Lake Buchanan
Lake Buchanan is held back by Buchanan Dam (also recorded as Buchanan Dam Facility) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 146 ft high and running 10,987 ft along its crest , built across COLORADO RIVER in Burnet County , near MARBLE FALLS . It was completed in 1937 and modified in 1994S;2021M , and is owned by LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY (a local government owner) , to a design credited to FARGO ENGINEERING CO AND FREESE AND NICHOLS INC;FARGO ENGINEERING CO AND FREESE AND NICHOLS INC;FREESE AND NICHOLS, INC.
Its recorded primary purpose is irrigation — the pool is drawn down across the growing season to serve water rights downstream, then refilled over winter . It also serves irrigation;other;hydroelectric;water supply.
It is founded on rock;soil, with a concrete core. Its outlet works use other controlled3;uncontrolled1;vertical lift3.
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 satisfactory — no deficiencies recognised for expected loading. That assessment is dated 09/29/2017.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 23,060 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,180,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 992,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 247,800 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by TCEQ.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX00989 , 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 Lake Buchanan compares nearby
3 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inks Lake | TX | 887.40 ft | 4 km |
| Lake Lbj | TX | 825.41 ft | 23 km |
| Lake Marble Falls | TX | 737.31 ft | 27 km |
| Ubc Dam 1 | TX | 1,011.36 ft | 55 km |
| Ubc Dam 2 at Leander | TX | 945.90 ft | 59 km |
| Ubc Dam 3 | TX | 873.31 ft | 63 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Lake Buchanan?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:10 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 1,019.32 ft (datum NAVD88), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Lake Buchanan 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 08148000, 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.