New Terrell City Lake water level — Texas
New Terrell City Lake in Texas was last measured at 493.87 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:30 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.7 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 08062730 · USACE SWF/LTLT2, 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 14 sq mi of contributing watershed. USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2010 .
The dam behind New Terrell City Lake
New Terrell City Lake is held back by Cedar Creek WS SCS Site 87a Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 43 ft high and running 4,800 ft along its crest , built across MUDDY CEDAR CREEK in Kaufman County , near ELMO . It was completed in 1955 and modified in 1969H , and is owned by CITY OF TERRELL;KAUFMAN VAN ZANDT ROCKWALL SWCD (a local government owner) , to a design credited to JOE WARD;USDA NRCS, ORIG CONST 1955.
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;fire protection, stock, or small fish pond;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 558 ft wide. Its outlet works use uncontrolled3.
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. It has not been assigned a condition rating. That assessment is dated 06/15/2021.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 840 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 20,147 acre-ft against a normal storage of 8,712 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 23,228 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by TCEQ.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX03341 , 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 New Terrell City Lake compares nearby
5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Tawakoni | TX | 436.05 ft | 25 km |
| Lake Ray Hubbard | TX | 433.10 ft | 31 km |
| Lavon Lake | TX | 489.15 ft | 44 km |
| Cedar Creek Reservoir | TX | 316.91 ft | 54 km |
| Lake Fork Reservoir | TX | 399.18 ft | 61 km |
| Efft2 | TX | 408.51 ft | 68 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of New Terrell City Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:30 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 493.87 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is New Terrell City 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 08062730 · USACE SWF/LTLT2, 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.