Upper Lake Palestine
Smith County, TexasView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #5 of 5 in the county
- Public access
Upper Lake Palestine in Smith County, Texas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 80 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 61.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 80 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 61.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Upper Lake Palestine
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Lake Palestine 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Upper Lake Palestine are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Upper Lake Palestine
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 Upper Lake Palestine → · more Texas lake trips
Watch Upper Lake Palestine’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Upper Lake Palestine is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Smith County, Texas. Water quality is graded F 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 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Smith County, Upper Lake Palestine ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TCEQ, last sampled 2025-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Upper Lake Palestine is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch4 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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Upper Lake Palestine is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 80 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 61.6 µg/L. TSI 69. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 80 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 61.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Recreation & Access
- Kickapoo (FM 315 Bridge)Public
- Chandler River ParkPublic
- Westberry Landing & RV ParkSemi-private
- Village MarinaSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Upper Lake Palestine
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.055 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +8.4 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +7.86 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Upper Lake Palestine is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit TX-0605_10 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.41 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 5 lakes in Smith County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Upper Lake Palestine holds Grade F. 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 Smith County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Lake Palestine
Where is Upper Lake Palestine?
- Upper Lake Palestine is a lake in Smith County, Texas. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Upper Lake Palestine?
- Upper Lake Palestine in Smith County, Texas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 80 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 61.6 µg/L.
Is Upper Lake Palestine safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Upper Lake Palestine is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Upper Lake Palestine?
- Upper Lake Palestine has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Kickapoo (FM 315 Bridge), Chandler River Park, Westberry Landing & RV Park, Village Marina. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Upper Lake Palestine across LakeQuality
More Texas Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Texas
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Texas
Where this data comes from
61 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
TCEQMAIN61 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory