White River Lake
Crosby County, Texas1,477 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Salinity / chlorides
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 45 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
White River Lake in Crosby County, Texas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 0.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.2 µg/L. Surface area: 1477 acres.
- Clarity
- 0.7 ft
- Max depth
- ~45 ft est.
- Area
- 1,477 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 44.6 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 12.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near White River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near White River Lake in Crosby 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 White River Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near White River Lake
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 White River Lake → · more Texas lake trips
Watch White River Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
White River Lake is a 1,477-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Crosby County, Texas with an estimated average depth of about 45 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TCEQ, last sampled 2025-11-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What White River Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water1,477 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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. White River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 0.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 44.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.2 µg/L. TSI 66. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 44.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~45 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,477 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 White River Lake.
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
- White River MarinaPublic
- White River Lake - River Crest RoadPublic
- White River Lake - River Crest RoadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing White River Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.033 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.04 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -7.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
White River Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the White River Dam (completed 1963), built primarily for water supply on the White River; earth-type dam, 80 ft tall and 4,400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,477 ac
- Normal storage
- 44,897 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 71,590 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 172 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WHITE RIVER MWD
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID TX02143 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
White River Lake 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-1240_01 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Crosby County
Nearby Lakes in Crosby County
Frequently asked questions about White River Lake
Where is White River Lake?
- White River Lake is a lake in Crosby County, Texas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for White River Lake?
- White River Lake in Crosby County, Texas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 0.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.2 µg/L. Surface area: 1477 acres.
Is White River Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. White River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is White River Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers White River Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 45 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 1477 acres.
Are there boat ramps on White River Lake?
- White River Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include White River Marina, White River Lake - River Crest Road, White River Lake - River Crest Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore White River Lake 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory