# 10 Deepest Lakes in Texas

> Amistad Reservoir is the deepest major lake in Texas, with a listed maximum depth of 217 feet. Lake Travis follows at 190 feet. The ranking below compares maximum depths published by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for large public reservoirs located...

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Byline: ARGO.net Editorial Team
Published: 2026-08-23T14:36:03+00:00
Categories: Statistics, Water

![A large reservoir surrounded by open land, viewed from above](https://www.argo.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Texas_lake_aerial.jpg)

Amistad Reservoir is the deepest major lake in Texas, with a listed maximum depth of 217 feet. Lake Travis follows at 190 feet. The ranking below compares maximum depths published by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for large public reservoirs located wholly or partly in the state.

Maximum depth is the greatest vertical distance from the water surface to the bottom at a stated lake level. It differs from average depth and it changes when reservoirs rise or fall. The figures are best read as standard reference depths rather than a promise of the depth on any particular day.

The list uses TPWD's lake-characteristics pages as one consistent dataset. It includes interstate and international reservoirs when Texas contains part of the lake. It excludes tiny quarry pits, private impoundments and measurements that cannot be checked against the same public standard.

Reservoir depth also differs from dam height. A dam can extend into its foundation below the lake bottom or rise above the normal water surface. This ranking uses water depth reported for the lake, not structural dimensions of the dam.

## 1. Amistad Reservoir, 217 feet

**Amistad Reservoir** reaches a listed maximum depth of 217 feet. It lies on the Rio Grande northwest of Del Rio and crosses the United States-Mexico boundary. The impoundment covers 64,900 acres at its standard reference level, making it large by both depth and surface area.

The [Texas Parks and Wildlife Department](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/amistad/) notes that water levels respond to rainfall and downstream irrigation demand. Annual changes of 5 to 10 feet are common, so the deepest available water may be substantially shallower during drought.

Amistad's depth comes from the drowned Rio Grande valley near the dam. The number does not mean the international reservoir is uniformly deep. Broad arms follow the Pecos and Devils river channels and exposed shorelines expand as storage falls.

## 2. Lake Travis, 190 feet

**Lake Travis** has a maximum depth of 190 feet. The Colorado River reservoir extends through steep Hill Country terrain west of Austin. Its deep lower basin, rock ledges and sharp drop-offs contrast with the broader, shallower reaches upstream.

Lake Travis is also one of Texas's most variable major reservoirs. Its conservation pool elevation is 681 feet above mean sea level, though the lake is often below that mark. TPWD's [Lake Travis profile](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/travis/) describes normal fluctuations of 10 to 20 feet. Drought and floods can produce larger departures.

The reservoir is part of a managed chain on the lower Colorado River. Releases for water supply and downstream needs influence levels alongside weather. A depth chart tied to full pool must therefore be paired with the current lake elevation before navigation.

## 3. Medina Lake, 152 feet

**Medina Lake** reaches 152 feet at maximum depth. It occupies a limestone valley about 40 miles northwest of San Antonio. The reservoir was impounded in 1913 and covers 5,426 acres when full, far less surface area than the two lakes above it.

Depth at Medina varies dramatically because rainfall controls the reservoir's water supply. TPWD reports that fluctuations can reach 40 feet. The agency's [Medina Lake information](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/medina/) also warns boaters about invasive zebra mussels, which can spread when water or equipment moves between lakes.

Long droughts can expose extensive portions of the basin and close ramps. A historical maximum remains useful for comparing reservoir form, but current elevation is the practical figure for boating. Controlling authorities publish level data separately from TPWD's fixed lake description.

## 4. Possum Kingdom Lake, 145 feet

**Possum Kingdom Reservoir** has a maximum depth of 145 feet and an average depth of about 37 feet. It impounds the Brazos River west of Fort Worth. Cliffs and bluffs surround the lower lake, while the upper end widens into shallower water.

The contrast between maximum and average depth shows why one figure cannot describe an entire reservoir. TPWD's [Possum Kingdom profile](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/possum_kingdom/) lists a surface area of 15,588 acres and moderately high water-level fluctuation. Much of that area is far shallower than the deepest point near the old river channel.

## 5. Lake Buchanan, 132 feet

**Lake Buchanan** reaches 132 feet. It is the largest of the Highland Lakes by surface area and occupies a long section of the Colorado River northwest of Burnet. The rocky lower basin near Buchanan Dam contains the deepest water.

The upper lake has broad coves and flooded brush when levels are high. TPWD's [Lake Buchanan page](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/buchanan/) lists considerable fluctuation, while the Texas Water Development Board maintains survey records that show how sediment and changing water levels affect reservoir geometry.

Survey dates matter because reservoirs collect sediment carried by rivers. Deposition is usually greatest in upper reaches and coves, while the deep basin near the dam changes more slowly. Updated hydrographic surveys can therefore revise capacity without greatly changing a historical maximum-depth figure.

## 6. Lake Meredith, 127 feet

**Lake Meredith** has a listed maximum depth of 127 feet. The Canadian River reservoir lies northeast of Amarillo and covers 16,411 acres at its standard reference level. Its steep rocky basin also supports one of Texas's best-known walleye fisheries.

The [TPWD Lake Meredith profile](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/meredith/) describes annual fluctuations of 4 to 10 feet, while prolonged drought has produced much larger changes in usable depth and surface area. The 127-foot figure is the reservoir's reference maximum rather than its depth during every season.

## 7. Canyon Lake, 125 feet

**Canyon Lake** has a maximum depth of 125 feet. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir lies on the Guadalupe River between Austin and San Antonio. Limestone slopes continue below the water, producing a relatively deep basin within a surface area of 8,308 acres.

Its conservation pool stands at 909 feet above mean sea level and TPWD describes fluctuation as moderate. The agency's [Canyon Lake profile](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/canyon/) identifies clear to slightly stained water under normal conditions. Depth and clarity make the lake notably different from many shallow, turbid Texas reservoirs.

## 8. Belton Lake, 124 feet

**Belton Lake** reaches 124 feet, one foot less than Canyon Lake in the state's published recreational-lake profiles. The reservoir impounds the Leon River northwest of Belton. Steep rocky shorelines and long points dominate much of its 12,385-acre basin.

The [official lake characteristics](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/belton/) list an average fluctuation of 3 to 5 feet. Sparse vegetation leaves rock and installed habitat structures important for fish. Belton's proximity to Stillhouse Hollow can be confusing, but the two are separate reservoirs with different maximum depths.

## 9. Toledo Bend Reservoir, 110 feet

**Toledo Bend Reservoir** reaches 110 feet. It straddles the Texas-Louisiana boundary on the Sabine River and has an enormous surface area of about 181,600 acres. Only part of that water lies in Texas, but the reservoir is routinely included among the state's major lakes.

TPWD reports normal fluctuations of 1 to 5 feet and clearer water in the middle and lower sections. The [Toledo Bend profile](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/toledo_bend/) also explains that fishing licenses from either border state can apply under specific rules. Its 110-foot maximum ties the next lake in this list.

## 10. Falcon International Reservoir, 110 feet

**Falcon International Reservoir** also reaches 110 feet at the dam. The Rio Grande impoundment lies southeast of Laredo and crosses the United States-Mexico boundary. Its standard surface area is 83,654 acres, though severe fluctuations can alter the shoreline dramatically.

The [TPWD Falcon profile](https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/falcon/) reports changes of 40 to 50 feet or more. Toledo Bend and Falcon are tied by published maximum depth, so their order does not represent a measurable difference. Lake Whitney follows at 108 feet. Readers comparing size instead can see Argo's answer to [which lake is largest in Texas](https://www.argo.net/what-is-the-largest-lake-in-texas/), while [Texas's natural lakes](https://www.argo.net/natural-lakes-in-texas/) explains why reservoirs dominate the state's familiar lake map.