Lake Palestine water level — Texas

Texas · USGS · reading Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00) Provisional

Lake Palestine in Texas was last measured at 343.39 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−1.0 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.

Current reading Lake Palestine · Texas
Pool elevation
343.39 ft

Datum NGVD29 · provisional, subject to revision. (Why datum matters →)

% of conservation pool full
Not reported
Storage
Not reported
Recent trend
↓Falling

−1.0 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.

344.9ft343.4ftJun 2 – Aug 31

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).

Not for navigation or safety decisions (why →)

Source: USGS site 08031400 · USACE SWF/LPTT2, 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 839 sq mi of contributing watershed. USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2004 .

The dam behind Lake Palestine

Lake Palestine is held back by Blackburn Crossing Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 75 ft high and running 5,720 ft along its crest , built across NECHES RIVER , near NECHES . It was completed in 1962 and modified in 1971S;1997S;2020O , and is owned by UPPER NECHES RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER AUTHORITY (a local government owner) , to a design credited to FORREST AND COTTON AND JONES & BOYD INC;FORREST AND COTTON AND JONES & BOYD INC;FORREST AND COTTON AND JONES & BOYD INC;HDR ENGINEERING.

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;other;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 500 ft wide. Its outlet works use other controlled6;uncontrolled1;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 07/27/2022.

At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 23,112 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,045,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 367,312 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 187,056 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by TCEQ.

Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX00170 , 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 Palestine 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.

Lakes nearest to Lake Palestine, with current level and distance.
Lake State Level Distance
Lake Jacksonville TX 420.91 ft 18 km
Lake Tyler TX 373.84 ft 32 km
Lake Athens TX 439.01 ft 36 km
Lake Striker TX 291.43 ft 46 km
Cedar Creek Reservoir TX 316.91 ft 70 km
Richland-Chambers Reservoir TX 312.96 ft 73 km

Frequently asked questions

What is the current water level of Lake Palestine?
As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 343.39 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
Is Lake Palestine 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 08031400 · USACE SWF/LPTT2, 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.