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LakeQuality

Data Report · Updated July 2026

The State of Texas’s Lakes 2026

Of 146 monitored lakes in Texas, 16.4% earn a water-quality grade of A or B and 43.8% score D or F (average grade D). Lake Daingerfield Headwaters is the cleanest;

146
Monitored lakes graded
D
Average grade
16.4%
Grade A or B
0%
On impaired list

Texas grade distribution

B
C
D
F
A: 4 (2.7%)B: 20 (13.7%)C: 58 (39.7%)D: 46 (31.5%)F: 18 (12.3%)

Cleanest lakes in Texas

Highest combined water-quality score, 2026.

  1. 1.ALake Daingerfield Headwaters — Morris County8.5 ft clarity · 20 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
  2. 2.BLake Meredith — Hutchinson County5.3 ft clarity · 24 µg/L P · 7 µg/L chl-a
  3. 3.BLake Kemp — Baylor County3.7 ft clarity · 10 µg/L P · 10 µg/L chl-a
  4. 4.BLake Jacksonville — Cherokee County7.4 ft clarity · 23 µg/L P · 6 µg/L chl-a
  5. 5.BLake Hawkins — Wood County6.7 ft clarity · 20 µg/L P · 7 µg/L chl-a
  6. 6.BOak Creek Reserv Lake — Coke County3.8 ft clarity · 21 µg/L P · 7 µg/L chl-a
  7. 7.BAmistad Reservoir — Val Verde County8.2 ft clarity · 20 µg/L P · 4 µg/L chl-a
  8. 8.BAmistad Reserv Rio Grande Arm Lake — Val Verde County5.2 ft clarity · 20 µg/L P · 6 µg/L chl-a
  9. 9.BWhitney Lake — Hill County4.8 ft clarity · 20 µg/L P · 15 µg/L chl-a
  10. 10.BRay Roberts Lake Site — Denton County3.9 ft clarity · 20 µg/L P · 16 µg/L chl-a

Most-polluted lakes

Lowest combined water-quality score among monitored lakes.

  1. 1.FLavon Lake — Collin County1.4 ft clarity · 107 µg/L P · 48 µg/L chl-a
  2. 2.FVictor Braunig Lake — Bexar County1.5 ft clarity · 730 µg/L P · 91 µg/L chl-a
  3. 3.FLake Wichita — Wichita County0.5 ft clarity · 144 µg/L P · 159 µg/L chl-a
  4. 4.FLake Kirby — Taylor County0.7 ft clarity · 125 µg/L P · 124 µg/L chl-a
  5. 5.FWright Patman Lake — Bowie County1.3 ft clarity · 110 µg/L P · 49 µg/L chl-a
  6. 6.FSpringfield Lake — Limestone County1.0 ft clarity · 330 µg/L P · 129 µg/L chl-a
  7. 7.FL Houston W of Lake Shadows — Harris County1.5 ft clarity · 180 µg/L P · 56 µg/L chl-a
  8. 8.FBuffalo Springs Lake — Lubbock County2.4 ft clarity · 110 µg/L P · 83 µg/L chl-a
  9. 9.FNew Marlin City Lake — Falls County1.5 ft clarity · 130 µg/L P · 62 µg/L chl-a
  10. 10.FLake Mexia — Limestone County1.1 ft clarity · 170 µg/L P · 51 µg/L chl-a

Worst algae hotspots

Highest measured chlorophyll-a (algae) concentration.

  1. 1.FRita Blanca Lake — Hartley County345 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  2. 2.FLake Wichita — Wichita County159 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  3. 3.FPalo Duro Reservoir — Hansford County140 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  4. 4.FSpringfield Lake — Limestone County129 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  5. 5.FLake Kirby — Taylor County124 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  6. 6.FLake Fryer — Ochiltree County124 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  7. 7.FSomerville Lake Upper Portion — Washington County97 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  8. 8.FVictor Braunig Lake — Bexar County91 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  9. 9.FBuffalo Springs Lake — Lubbock County83 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  10. 10.DLake Weatherford — Parker County80 µg/L chlorophyll-a

Explore Texas lakes

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Grades combine Secchi clarity, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a from the EPA Water Quality Portal and state agencies. See the full methodology, the national State of America’s Lakes report, or all Texas lakes.

Cite this report: LakeQuality, “The State of Texas’s Lakes 2026,” lakequality.org/report/tx.