N Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir water level — Texas
N Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir in Texas was last measured at 1,045.66 ft (datum NAVD88), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:30 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.8 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.8 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 07312380, 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 33 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind N Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir
N Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir is held back by North Fork Buffalo Creek Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 46 ft high and running 4,450 ft along its crest , built across NORTH FORK BUFFALO CREEK in Wichita County , near WICHITA FALLS . It was completed in 1964 , and is owned by CITY OF IOWA PARK (a local government owner) , to a design credited to ERNEST L ANDREWS.
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 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 615 ft wide. Its outlet works use other controlled4;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 11/30/2023.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 1,401 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 32,250 acre-ft against a normal storage of 15,400 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 32,500 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by TCEQ.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX01014 , 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 N Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diversion Lake | TX | 1,050.09 ft | 25 km |
| Lake Kickapoo | TX | 1,042.05 ft | 36 km |
| Lake Arrowhead | TX | 921.37 ft | 43 km |
| Lake Kemp | TX | 1,139.37 ft | 45 km |
| Waurika Lake | OK | 950.04 ft | 70 km |
| Lake Lawtonka | OK | 1,338.25 ft | 86 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of N Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:30 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 1,045.66 ft (datum NAVD88), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is N Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir 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 07312380, 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.