Whitney Lake
Hill County, Texas23,560 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 5 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Whitney Lake in Hill County, Texas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.6 µg/L. Surface area: 23560 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.8 ft
- Area
- 23,560 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 14.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Whitney Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Whitney Lake in Hill 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 Whitney Lake are listed below.
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Whitney Lake is a 23,560-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hill County, Texas. Water quality is graded D 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 19 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Hill County, Whitney Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TCEQ, last sampled 2025-11-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Whitney Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch19 documented ramps
- Big water23,560 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.8 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 14.6 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 14.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Sep 7, 2026, 3:15 PM from gauge 08092500 (Whitney Lk nr Whitney, TX). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
→ Whitney Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 23,560 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Whitney Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Cedar Creek ParkPublic
- McCown Valley ParkPublic
- Lake Whitney State ParkPublic
- Lofers Bend Park (East)Public
- Lofers Bend East (Central)Public
- Lofers Bend Park (West)Public
Showing 6 of 19 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Whitney Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.223 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.84 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.11 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Whitney Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Whitney Dam (completed 1951), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Brazos River; earth-type dam, 166 ft tall and 7,538 ft long.
- Surface area
- 23,560 ac
- Normal storage
- 627,100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,100,400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 17,656 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Fort Worth District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID TX00017 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 5 lakes in Hill County
Nearby Lakes in Hill County
Frequently asked questions about Whitney Lake
Where is Whitney Lake?
- Whitney Lake is a lake in Hill County, Texas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Whitney Lake?
- Whitney Lake in Hill County, Texas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.6 µg/L. Surface area: 23560 acres.
Is Whitney Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water level at Whitney Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Whitney Lake is 531.45 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Sep 7, 2026, 3:15 PM at gauge 08092500. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Are there boat ramps on Whitney Lake?
- Whitney Lake has 19 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Creek Park, McCown Valley Park, Lake Whitney State Park, Lofers Bend Park (East), among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Whitney Lake across LakeQuality
15.6 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Texas's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Other Grade D Lakes in Texas
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Where this data comes from
51 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
TCEQMAIN47 samples · 2020–2025 - USGS Texas Water Science Center
USGS-TX4 samples · 2020
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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