Lake Gladewater
Upshur County, Texas435 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 47 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Gladewater in Upshur County, Texas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.2 µg/L. Surface area: 435 acres.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Max depth
- ~47 ft est.
- Area
- 435 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 35 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 28.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Gladewater
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Gladewater in Upshur County, Texas — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake Gladewater are listed below.
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Watch Lake Gladewater’s letter
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Lake Gladewater is a 435-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Upshur County, Texas with an estimated average depth of about 47 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 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Upshur County, Lake Gladewater ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TCEQ, last sampled 2025-09-03. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Gladewater is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 28.2 µg/L. TSI 60. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 35 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~47 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~22 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 435 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 Gladewater.
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
- City Park #1Public
- City Park #2Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Gladewater
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.026 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.03 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +6.43 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Gladewater is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Gladewater Dam (completed 1952), built primarily for water supply on the Glade Creek; earth-type dam, 38 ft tall and 1,203 ft long.
- Surface area
- 435 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,950 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 12,075 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 43.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF GLADEWATER
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID TX03725 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Upshur County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Gladewater holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Upshur County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Gladewater
Where is Lake Gladewater?
- Lake Gladewater is a lake in Upshur 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 Gladewater?
- Lake Gladewater in Upshur County, Texas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.2 µg/L. Surface area: 435 acres.
Is Lake Gladewater safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Gladewater?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Gladewater, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 47 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 435 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Gladewater?
- Lake Gladewater has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include City Park #1, City Park #2. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Gladewater across LakeQuality
More Texas Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Texas
Eutrophic Lakes in Texas
Where this data comes from
60 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
TCEQMAIN60 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