Lake Houston
Source: Texas Water Development Board (Water Data for Texas)
E 5 to 10 mph · rain 0%
E 0 to 5 mph · rain 0%
Level history
Field notes
As of Oct 25, 2026, Lake Houston stood at 42.17 ft, which is 98.2% of its conservation capacity.
That is 0.21 ft below the conservation (full) pool elevation of 42.38 ft.
Over the past 7 days the lake has been rising (+0.06 ft), and it is −0.10 ft over 30 days.
Compared with a year ago (41.76 ft), the lake is 0.41 ft higher.
For this time of year, the median in TWDB's records (1996–2025, 30 years with data) is 99.8% full, so Houston is currently close to normal.
In TWDB's dataset (since 1996), the highest level recorded is 52.28 ft (Aug 29, 2017) and the lowest is 36.34 ft (Sep 5, 2011). Older records may be monthly rather than daily.
Lake facts
| Conservation storage | 129,925 ac-ft |
|---|---|
| Total storage (latest) | 133,726 ac-ft |
| Surface area | 11,350 acres |
| Gauge location | 29.9163, -95.1413 |
| Groups | San Jacinto River Basin Region H Water Planning Area Water supply for Houston |
Reference levels
| Level · source | Elevation | Today vs level |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation (full) pool TWDB | 42.38 ft | −0.21 ft |
| Dead pool TWDB | 19.23 ft | +22.94 ft |
| Highest in TWDB data (since 1996) TWDB series | 52.28 ft Aug 29, 2017 | −10.11 ft |
| Lowest in TWDB data (since 1996) TWDB series | 36.34 ft Sep 5, 2011 | +5.83 ft |
| Normal range for this date TWDB series, 30 years 1996–2025 | 95.9–100.0% full (median 99.8%) | — |
| Conservation capacity TWDB | 132,318 acre-feet | — |
Only levels the agency publishes, or that we compute directly from its own records, are listed. “Today vs level” = latest reading minus the reference level. A level the source does not publish is left out rather than estimated.
Nearby lakes
Common questions
How full is Lake Houston right now?
As of Oct 25, 2026, TWDB reports Lake Houston at 98.2% of its conservation capacity (129,925 of 132,318 acre-feet). For this date, the middle half of past years (1996–2025) ranged from 95.9% to 100.0% full, with a median of 99.8%.
What is the record high and low at Lake Houston?
In TWDB's records since 1996, the highest level is 52.28 ft (Aug 29, 2017) and the lowest is 36.34 ft (Sep 5, 2011).
What is full pool at Lake Houston?
The conservation (full) pool elevation used by TWDB is 42.38 ft. The lake is currently 0.21 ft below it.
Is Lake Houston rising or falling?
Over the last 7 days it changed +0.06 ft and over 30 days −0.10 ft.
How often is this page updated?
The page is rebuilt automatically every day from TWDB's published data. Values can be revised later by the source agency.
Where does the data come from?
Water Data for Texas, run by the Texas Water Development Board, which compiles gauge readings from USGS, USACE, river authorities and others. Forecasts come from the National Weather Service.
Values are TWDB daily estimates; elevations in feet above the vertical datum stated by TWDB. TWDB disclaimer: reservoir data are best estimates generated by the Texas Water Development Board from data collected by various providers; TWDB makes no warranties as to their fitness for any purpose. See data sources.