Lake Tyler
Smith County, Texas3,584 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- #3 of 5 in the county
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Tyler in Smith County, Texas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 22 µg/L. Surface area: 3584 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.4 ft
- Max depth
- ~33 ft est.
- Area
- 3,584 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 22 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Tyler
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Tyler in Smith 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 Tyler
Prices for Sep 11–13, 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Tyler → · more Texas lake trips
Watch Lake Tyler’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Lake Tyler is a 3,584-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Smith County, Texas with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. Water quality is graded C 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. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Smith County, Lake Tyler ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TCEQ, last sampled 2025-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Tyler is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water3,584 acres
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 3.4 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 22 µg/L. TSI 58. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 22 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 3,584 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 Tyler.
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
- Chapman ParkPublic
- Hill Creek ParkPublic
- Lake Tyler Marina ResortSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Tyler
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.093 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.77 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.57 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Tyler is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Whitehouse Dam (completed 1949), built primarily for water supply on the Prairie Creek; earth-type dam, 50 ft tall and 4,709 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,584 ac
- Normal storage
- 42,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 85,810 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 45 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF TYLER
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID TX00245 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.33 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 5 lakes in Smith County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Tyler holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Smith County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Tyler
Where is Lake Tyler?
- Lake Tyler is a lake in Smith County, Texas. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Tyler?
- Lake Tyler in Smith County, Texas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 22 µg/L. Surface area: 3584 acres.
Is Lake Tyler safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Tyler?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Tyler, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 33 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 3584 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Tyler?
- Lake Tyler has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Chapman Park, Hill Creek Park, Lake Tyler Marina Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Tyler across LakeQuality
More Texas Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Texas
Eutrophic Lakes in Texas
Where this data comes from
51 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
TCEQMAIN51 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