Updated Jul 2026
Texas Lake Water Quality
Water quality grades for 146 monitored lakes across 87 counties.
Across {{stateName}}, 146 lakes carry an active water-quality grade spread over 87 counties. The underlying measurements come from {{agency}}, alongside federal programs and volunteer monitoring networks. A-grade lakes are scarce in {{stateName}}: about 3% of the dataset. Most lakes here sit in C or D — productive, often shallow, frequently algal in late summer.
Eutrophic conditions dominate — nutrient-loaded, productive, with algal pressure that shows up most years in late summer. These lakes tend to be shallow, agricultural-watershed, and over-warmed by the time July ends. The cleanest county on average is Comal (grade A); the most-stressed is Polk. The gap between the top and bottom counties is large enough that "{{stateName}} lake water quality" hides real local variation.
Grade Distribution
How Texas’s 146 graded lakes break down from A (excellent) to F.
Top-Graded Texas Lakes
The highest water-quality grades in Texas — clarity, depth, and A-F grade at a glance.
Canyon Lake Headwaters
Comal County, Texas
See grade for Canyon Lake Headwaters →Canyon Lake Mid Lake
Comal County, Texas
See grade for Canyon Lake Mid Lake →Canyon Lake
Comal County, Texas
See grade for Canyon Lake →Lake Daingerfield Headwaters
Morris County, Texas
See grade for Lake Daingerfield Headwaters →Lake Meredith
Hutchinson County, Texas
See grade for Lake Meredith →Lake Kemp
Baylor County, Texas
See grade for Lake Kemp →Lake Jacksonville
Cherokee County, Texas
See grade for Lake Jacksonville →Lake Cisco
Eastland County, Texas
See grade for Lake Cisco →Brandy Branch Reservoir
Harrison County, Texas
See grade for Brandy Branch Reservoir →Lake Map
Explore Texas Lakes
Texas reports, fishing & travel
Texas Fishing & Recreation
Licenses, regulations, records, and where to fish across Texas.
Counties
All 87 Texas counties, ranked by average lake water quality. Compare them against every county nationwide in the county rankings, browse the full directory of graded lakes, or pick a different state.
Top 25 Cleanest Lakes
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canyon Lake Headwaters | Comal | A | 4.6 ft |
| 2 | Canyon Lake Mid Lake | Comal | A | 4.6 ft |
| 3 | Canyon Lake | Comal | A | 10.8 ft |
| 4 | Lake Daingerfield Headwaters | Morris | A | 8.5 ft |
| 5 | Lake Meredith | Hutchinson | B | 5.3 ft |
| 6 | Lake Kemp | Baylor | B | 3.7 ft |
| 7 | Lake Jacksonville | Cherokee | B | 7.4 ft |
| 8 | Lake Cisco | Eastland | B | 3.9 ft |
| 9 | Brandy Branch Reservoir | Harrison | B | 12 ft |
| 10 | Lake Hawkins | Wood | B | 6.7 ft |
| 11 | Oak Creek Reserv Lake | Coke | B | 3.8 ft |
| 12 | Lake Mackenzie | Briscoe | B | 1.8 ft |
| 13 | Amistad Reservoir | Val Verde | B | 8.2 ft |
| 14 | Amistad Reserv Rio Grande Arm Lake | Val Verde | B | 5.2 ft |
| 15 | Whitney Lake | Hill | B | 4.8 ft |
| 16 | Ray Roberts Lake Site | Denton | B | 3.9 ft |
| 17 | Lake Coleman | Coleman | B | 3.9 ft |
| 18 | Lake Alan Henry | Garza | B | 9.4 ft |
| 19 | Lake Athens | Henderson | B | 5.9 ft |
| 20 | Marine Creek Lake | Tarrant | B | 3.3 ft |
| 21 | Red Bluff Reservoir | Reeves | B | 1.9 ft |
| 22 | Lake Averhoff Upstream Tpwd Ramp | Zavala | B | 8.2 ft |
| 23 | Lake Georgetown | Williamson | B | 5.6 ft |
| 24 | Lake Jacksboro Mid Lake | Jack | B | 3.6 ft |
| 25 | Grapevine Lake | Tarrant | C | 2.4 ft |
25 Lakes Needing Attention
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Rv Lake | Chambers | F | - |
| 2 | Rita Blanca Lake | Hartley | F | - |
| 3 | Somerville Lake Upper Portion | Washington | F | 0.9 ft |
| 4 | Lake Somerville Mid Lake | Burleson | F | 1.8 ft |
| 5 | Lake Tanglewood | Randall | F | 2.3 ft |
| 6 | Lake Fryer | Ochiltree | F | 0.7 ft |
| 7 | Palo Duro Reservoir | Hansford | F | 0.7 ft |
| 8 | Lake Mexia | Limestone | F | 1.1 ft |
| 9 | New Marlin City Lake | Falls | F | 1.5 ft |
| 10 | Buffalo Springs Lake | Lubbock | F | 2.4 ft |
| 11 | L Houston W of Lake Shadows | Harris | F | 1.5 ft |
| 12 | Springfield Lake | Limestone | F | 1 ft |
| 13 | Wright Patman Lake | Bowie | F | 1.3 ft |
| 14 | Lake Kirby | Taylor | F | 0.7 ft |
| 15 | Lake Wichita | Wichita | F | 0.5 ft |
| 16 | Victor Braunig Lake | Bexar | F | 1.5 ft |
| 17 | Livingston Reservoir | Polk | F | 1.6 ft |
| 18 | Lavon Lake | Collin | F | 1.4 ft |
| 19 | Lewisville Lake Elm Fork | Denton | D | 2.4 ft |
| 20 | Shallow Prong Lake | Jefferson | D | 1.3 ft |
| 21 | Somerville Lake | Washington | D | 1.9 ft |
| 22 | Somerville Lake Big Creek Arm | Burleson | D | 1.8 ft |
| 23 | Upper Lake Palestine | Smith | D | 1.6 ft |
| 24 | Aquilla Reservoir Hackberry Creek Arm | Hill | D | 1.7 ft |
| 25 | White Rock Lake | Dallas | D | 1.7 ft |
Where to stay near Texas
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.