Lake Hawkins
Wood County, Texas1,064 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 5 in the county
- Public access
Lake Hawkins in Wood County, Texas has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L. Surface area: 1064 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.7 ft
- Area
- 1,064 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Hawkins’s letter
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Lake Hawkins is a 1,064-acre mesotrophic lake in Wood County, Texas. Water quality is graded A based on 1 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. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Hawkins is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water1,064 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.7 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.9 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 1,064 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
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
Fishing Lake Hawkins
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.121 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.25 µg/L/yr | 6 |
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
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 5 lakes in Wood County
Nearby Lakes in Wood County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Hawkins
Where is Lake Hawkins?
- Lake Hawkins is a lake in Wood County, Texas. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Hawkins?
- Lake Hawkins in Wood County, Texas has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- The A is nutrients and algae, 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.
Explore Lake Hawkins across LakeQuality
More Texas Lake Rankings
Other Grade A 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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory