Palo Duro Reservoir water level — Texas
Palo Duro Reservoir in Texas was last measured at 2,826.32 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:45 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been steady (+0.1 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- →Steady
+0.1 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 07233550, 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 1,415 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Palo Duro Reservoir
Palo Duro Reservoir is held back by Palo Duro Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 128 ft high and running 3,450 ft along its crest , built across PALO DURO CREEK in Hansford County . It was completed in 1991 , and is owned by PALO DURO RIVER AUTHORITY OF TEXAS (a local government owner) , to a design credited to FREESE AND NICHOLS.
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;fire protection, stock, or small fish pond;recreation.
It is founded on unlisted/unknown, 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 611 ft wide. Its outlet works use uncontrolled2;valve1.
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 08/30/2024.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 2,410 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 278,500 acre-ft against a normal storage of 60,900 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 237,501 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by TCEQ.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX06400 , 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 Palo Duro Reservoir compares nearby
1 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also steady right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Meredith | TX | 2,889.37 ft | 80 km |
| Ft. Supply Lake | OK | 2,003.32 ft | 144 km |
| Greenbelt Lake | TX | 2,607.86 ft | 153 km |
| Foss Reservoir | OK | 1,638.70 ft | 200 km |
| Mackenzie Reservoir | TX | 3,018.96 ft | 204 km |
| Horsethief Reservoir | KS | 2,420.47 ft | 213 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Palo Duro Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:45 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 2,826.32 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Palo Duro 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 07233550, 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.