Lake Hawkins
Wood County, Texas1,064 acresView mapDirections
TCEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Hawkins. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
Lake Hawkins in Wood County, Texas has water-quality measurements published by TCEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L. Surface area: 1064 acres.
Lake Hawkins is a 1,064-acre mesotrophic lake in Wood County, Texas. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Wood County, Lake Hawkins ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TCEQ, last sampled 2025-09-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Hawkins is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water1,064 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Hawkins is safe to swim in today is a call for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Hawkins
These are the measurements TCEQ publishes for Lake Hawkins, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.7 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.9 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lake Hawkins
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
1,064 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by TCEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Hawkins, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Hawkins at DamPublic
- FM 3420Public
- Taste of Italy PointSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Hawkins
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Hawkins in Wood 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Hawkins
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Texas’s top lakes →
Follow Lake Hawkins’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Lake Hawkins
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Stable0 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.25 µg/L/yr6 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Hawkins is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Hawkins Dam (completed 1962), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Little Sandy Creek; earth-type dam, 54 ft tall and 1,300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,064 ac
- Normal storage
- 11,890 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 40,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 30 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WOOD COUNTY
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID TX00920 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Wood County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Hawkins
Where is Lake Hawkins?
- Lake Hawkins is a lake in Wood County, Texas. Its water-quality measurements are published by TCEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Hawkins?
- Lake Hawkins in Wood County, Texas has water-quality measurements published by TCEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L. Surface area: 1064 acres.
Is Lake Hawkins safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Hawkins?
- Lake Hawkins has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Hawkins at Dam, FM 3420, Taste of Italy Point. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Hawkins?
- Lake Hawkins has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Texas's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lake Hawkins across LakeQuality
More lakes in Texas
Other Lakes in Texas
Mesotrophic Lakes in Texas
Where this data comes from
46 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
TCEQMAIN46 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory