Ray Roberts Lake Water Level
Texas · Trinity River
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Water level history
About Ray Roberts Lake
Ray Roberts Lake is a reservoir on the Trinity River in Texas, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's a popular bass lake north of Denton. Its full summer pool sits at 632.5 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Ray Roberts Lake's water level
Ray Roberts Lake sits on a fork of the Trinity River about 10 miles north of Denton, a Corps of Engineers reservoir that quietly does one of the most important jobs in North Texas: storing drinking water for the fast-growing Dallas–Fort Worth area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built and operates it for water supply and recreation, holding it near a conservation pool of 632.5 feet above sea level and keeping room above that line to catch runoff from Trinity River storms.
As a Corps water-supply lake, Ray Roberts rises and falls with North Texas weather and demand rather than a fixed calendar. Heavy spring storms can push it above conservation pool and into flood storage, after which the Corps releases the excess downstream, while hot, dry summers and droughts pull it below 632.5 feet as water is withdrawn for the region's taps. Because the surrounding counties keep growing, the balance between rainfall and withdrawal is what sets the level in any given month.
The lake is best known to visitors as a clean, well-managed bass fishery and a state-park destination. Anglers fish for largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and white bass, and Ray Roberts Lake State Park anchors the recreation on its shoreline. The reservoir also carries a bit of local history: filling it in the late 1980s flooded small communities, and one congregation, St. James Baptist Church, was funded to relocate to nearby Pilot Point. For boaters today, the practical number is 632.5 feet, with the shallowest ramps affected first when a drought pulls the lake down.
Ray Roberts Lake — frequently asked
Why does Ray Roberts Lake's water level change?
Ray Roberts is a Corps water-supply reservoir on a Trinity River fork. Its level rises when spring storms send runoff into it and falls through hot, dry summers and droughts as water is withdrawn for the Dallas–Fort Worth region, so it tracks the balance of rainfall and demand rather than a seasonal drawdown schedule.
What is conservation pool for Ray Roberts Lake?
Conservation, or normal, pool is 632.5 feet above sea level. The Corps keeps additional storage space above that elevation to capture floodwater, then releases it downstream after storms.
Does Ray Roberts Lake supply drinking water?
Yes. The reservoir stores water supply for the growing Dallas–Fort Worth area, drawing from Cooke, Grayson and Denton county needs, which is a major reason its level is managed and monitored closely.
Why is Ray Roberts Lake low during a drought?
During a drought little runoff enters the lake while withdrawals for the region's water supply continue, so the level falls below the 632.5-foot conservation pool until rains return. A single storm barely moves it; a sustained dry spell is what pulls it down.
What is the fishing like at Ray Roberts Lake?
It is a well-regarded fishery for largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and white bass, with Ray Roberts Lake State Park providing camping and shoreline access.
What is Ray Roberts Lake used for?
It stores drinking water for the Dallas–Fort Worth area and provides flood storage, and it is a popular recreation lake for bass fishing, boating and camping around Ray Roberts Lake State Park.
Other lakes near Ray Roberts Lake
- Sam Rayburn ReservoirTX
- Proctor LakeTX
- Somerville LakeTX
- Possum Kingdom LakeTX
- Stillhouse Hollow LakeTX
- Lake O' the PinesTX
See current levels for all 27 Texas lakes and reservoirs →
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