Red Bluff Reservoir water level — Texas

Texas · USGS · reading Aug 31, 2026, 2:15 AM (UTC-05:00) Provisional

Red Bluff Reservoir in Texas was last measured at 2,814.84 ft (datum NAVD88), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:15 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.

Current reading Red Bluff Reservoir · Texas
Pool elevation
2,814.84 ft

Datum NAVD88 · provisional, subject to revision. (Why datum matters →)

% 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.

2816.7ft2814.8ftJun 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 08410000, 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 24,495 sq mi of contributing watershed.

The dam behind Red Bluff Reservoir

Red Bluff Reservoir is held back by Red Bluff Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 106 ft high and running 9,320 ft along its crest , built across PECOS RIVER in Reeves County , near PECOS . It was completed in 1936 and modified in 2015H , and is owned by RED BLUFF WATER POWER CONTROL DISTRICT (a local government owner) , to a design credited to HDR;VERNON L SULLIVAN.

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;other.

It is founded on unlisted/unknown, with a unlisted/unknown;unlisted/unknown 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 1,540 ft wide. Its outlet works use tainter (radial)12;uncontrolled3;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 02/04/2025.

At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 7,337 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 516,785 acre-ft against a normal storage of 151,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 309,001 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by TCEQ.

Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record TX02312 , 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 Red Bluff Reservoir compares nearby

None of the 5 nearby lakes with a current trend are falling right now — this lake's movement looks specific to its own operation rather than shared regional conditions.

Nearby lakes

The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.

Lakes nearest to Red Bluff Reservoir, with current level and distance.
Lake State Level Distance
Lake Avalon NM 73 km
Brantley Lake NM 3,242.84 ft 84 km
Two Rivers Dam NM 3,957.00 ft 171 km
Diamond a Reservoir NM 3,957.00 ft 173 km
Two River Reservoir NM 3,977.02 ft 173 km
Moss Creek Lake TX 2,331.33 ft 248 km

Frequently asked questions

What is the current water level of Red Bluff Reservoir?
As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:15 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 2,814.84 ft (datum NAVD88), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
Is Red Bluff 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 08410000, 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.