Lake Fort Phantom Hill
Jones County, Texas4,246 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 72 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Fort Phantom Hill in Jones County, Texas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27.6 µg/L. Surface area: 4246 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~72 ft est.
- Area
- 4,246 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 60 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 27.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Fort Phantom Hill
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Watch Lake Fort Phantom Hill’s letter
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Lake Fort Phantom Hill is a 4,246-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jones County, Texas with an estimated average depth of about 72 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TCEQ, last sampled 2025-08-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Fort Phantom Hill is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water4,246 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 27.6 µg/L. TSI 63. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 60 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 27.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~72 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 4,246 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Texas has not published bathymetry for Lake Fort Phantom Hill.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Fort Phantom Hill ParkPublic
- Abilene Sailing AssociationPublic
- Abilene Lakeview RV ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Fort Phantom Hill
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.071 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.8 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.51 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Fort Phantom Hill is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fort Phantom Hill Dam (completed 1938), built primarily for water supply on the Big Elm Creek; earth-type dam, 84 ft tall and 3,740 ft long.
- Surface area
- 4,246 ac
- Normal storage
- 70,300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 136,076 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 481 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF ABILENE
All listed purposes: Water Supply;Other.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID TX02483 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Jones County
Nearby Lakes in Jones County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Fort Phantom Hill
Where is Lake Fort Phantom Hill?
- Lake Fort Phantom Hill is a lake in Jones County, Texas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Fort Phantom Hill?
- Lake Fort Phantom Hill in Jones County, Texas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27.6 µg/L. Surface area: 4246 acres.
Is Lake Fort Phantom Hill safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Fort Phantom Hill?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Fort Phantom Hill, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 72 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 4246 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Fort Phantom Hill?
- Lake Fort Phantom Hill has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Fort Phantom Hill Park, Abilene Sailing Association, Abilene Lakeview RV Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Fort Phantom Hill across LakeQuality
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Other Grade D Lakes in Texas
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Where this data comes from
53 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
TCEQMAIN53 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory