Possum Kingdom Lake water level — Texas (PSMT2)
Possum Kingdom Lake in Texas was last measured at 995.35 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). That is 88.4% of conservation-pool capacity. Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−1.6 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- 88.4%
- Storage
- 475,922 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−1.6 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 08088500 · USACE SWF/PSMT2, 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 23,596 sq mi of contributing watershed. USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2014 (3 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind Possum Kingdom Lake
Possum Kingdom Lake is held back by Morris Sheppard Dam , a buttress dam — a thin upstream face braced by a row of supports behind it , standing 187 ft high and running 2,740 ft along its crest , built across BRAZOS RIVER in Palo Pinto County . It was completed in 1941 and modified in 1994S , and is owned by BRAZOS RIVER AUTHORITY (a local government owner) , to a design credited to FORREST AND COTTON AND FREESE AND NICHOLS INC;FORREST AND COTTON AND 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;recreation;hydroelectric;water supply.
It is founded on rock;soil, with a concrete core. Its outlet works use other controlled1;uncontrolled1;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 fair: sound under normal loading, though a rare or extreme event could expose a deficiency. That assessment is dated 01/22/2024.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 17,700 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,365,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 750,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 561,748 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by TCEQ.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX03849 , 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 →)
Other gauges at this site
2 more gauges report at this same structure. Their readings are listed here rather than on a separate page, because they measure the same water.
| Gauge | Source | Elevation | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possum Kingdom Lake | USGS site 08088435 | 995.35 ft (NGVD29) | — |
| Possum Kingdom Lake | USGS site 08088440 | 995.28 ft (NGVD29) | — |
How Possum Kingdom Lake 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.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possum Kingdom Lake | TX | 995.35 ft | 7 km |
| Possum Kingdom Lake | TX | 995.28 ft | 9 km |
| Lake Palo Pinto | TX | 865.01 ft | 29 km |
| Lake Graham | TX | 1,068.55 ft | 34 km |
| Lake Mineral Wells | TX | 861.65 ft | 36 km |
| Lost Creek Reservoir | TX | 1,006.16 ft | 50 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Possum Kingdom Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 995.35 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Possum Kingdom Lake full right now?
- The source reports it at 88.4% of conservation-pool capacity as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00).
- Where does this data come from?
- From USGS site 08088500 · USACE SWF/PSMT2, 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.