Lake Travis water level history
Since records began in 1940, Lake Travis has ranged from 614.18 ft in the 1950s drought of record to 710.31 ft in December 1991 — a swing of 96 feet, against a full pool of 681.0 ft.
710.31 ft
December 26, 1991
Within 0.09 ft of the 710.4 ft top of the flood pool — the lake came about as close to filling its flood storage as it ever has.
614.18 ft
August 14, 1951
The file does show 548.2 ft in October 31, 1940, but Mansfield Dam was still filling then — that number describes a reservoir being built, not a drought.
Every year on record
Each bar spans that year's lowest and highest recorded level. Faint bars are years with sparse coverage — the earliest records are monthly, not daily.
Driest years
| 1951 | 614.18 ft | August 14, 1951 |
| 1952 | 614.85 ft | July 1, 1952 |
| 1963 | 615.02 ft | November 8, 1963 |
| 1964 | 616.46 ft | September 16, 1964 |
| 2013 | 618.64 ft | September 19, 2013 |
Highest years
| 1991 | 710.31 ft | December 26, 1991 |
| 1957 | 707.38 ft | May 19, 1957 |
| 1992 | 704.73 ft | February 8, 1992 |
| 1997 | 704.72 ft | June 26, 1997 |
| 2018 | 704.28 ft | October 20, 2018 |
Why Lake Travis swings so far
Lake Travis is not a constant-level lake. It is the flood-control reservoir for the lower Colorado River, so it is designed to rise and fall — holding floodwater above 681.0 ft and giving up storage through drought.
The other Highland Lakes above and below it are held within about a foot. Travis and Buchanan absorb the variation for the whole chain, which is why their combined storage is the number LCRA manages the system by.
A foot of Lake Travis is not a fixed amount of water. Surface area shrinks as the lake drops — roughly 7,700 acres near the record low against about 19,000 at full pool — so the same volume lost moves the level much further when the lake is already low.
That is also why droughts look asymmetric: the last ten feet fall faster than the first ten, and refilling from a deep low takes a great deal more water than the elevation change suggests.
Recent years
| Year | Low | High | Range | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 663.26 ft | 684.71 ft | 21.45 ft | 226 |
| 2025 | 635.30 ft | 675.37 ft | 40.07 ft | 365 |
| 2024 | 630.27 ft | 642.95 ft | 12.68 ft | 366 |
| 2023 | 626.93 ft | 639.91 ft | 12.98 ft | 365 |
| 2022 | 639.96 ft | 661.99 ft | 22.03 ft | 365 |
| 2021 | 656.89 ft | 666.98 ft | 10.09 ft | 365 |
| 2020 | 658.86 ft | 674.28 ft | 15.42 ft | 366 |
| 2019 | 669.57 ft | 684.75 ft | 15.18 ft | 365 |
| 2018 | 653.89 ft | 704.28 ft | 50.39 ft | 365 |
| 2017 | 669.26 ft | 682.99 ft | 13.73 ft | 365 |
| 2016 | 676.73 ft | 692.68 ft | 15.95 ft | 332 |
| 2015 | 623.33 ft | 676.65 ft | 53.32 ft | 365 |
Lake Travis water level — common questions
What is the highest Lake Travis has ever been?
Lake Travis reached 710.31 ft above sea level on December 26, 1991 — its highest level on record, and within a foot of the 710.4 ft top of its flood pool.
What is the lowest Lake Travis has ever been?
Since Lake Travis first filled, its lowest level was 614.18 ft on August 14, 1951, during the 1950s drought of record. The reservoir did read lower — 548.2 ft on October 31, 1940 — but Mansfield Dam was still filling then, so that figure describes a reservoir being built rather than a drought.
How far back does Lake Travis water level data go?
Daily Lake Travis levels are available from September 30, 1940 onward — 30,627 days through August 14, 2026, published by the Texas Water Development Board. Readings in the earliest years are monthly rather than daily.
When was Lake Travis last full?
Lake Travis last reached its full pool of 681.0 ft on July 19, 2026, when it peaked at 684.71 ft.
Where the lake goes next is the 10-day forecast. Source: Texas Water Development Board (Water Data For Texas), daily record · 30,627 daily readings.