42.27 ft above mean sea level
99% full share of conservation capacity, as reported with the gauge reading
level 0.1 ft below full pool — typical for mid-August
Reading from Texas Water Development Board — Water Data for Texas (Water Data for Texas — houston); it refreshes with each site update rather than live.
Lake Houston through the year
The band is the lake's own normal: where the level has run on each calendar day, 1996–2026. The summer drawdown — and how this year sits in it — shows up without reading a single number.
This year vs the years that matter
This year's trace against last year and the driest and wettest years on record — the drought-context question every lake regular asks.
- 2026 (this year)
- 2025 (last year)
- 2003 (wettest on record)
- 2011 (driest on record)
Full pool, datum, and the gauge
"Full pool" here means the conservation pool — the level the lake is designed to hold for water supply and recreation, not the flood-control space above it. The full explainer covers flood pool and dead pool too.
| Full pool | 42.38 ft above mean sea level · per Water Data for Texas — Lake Houston |
|---|---|
| Conservation capacity | 132,318 acre-feet · per Water Data for Texas — Lake Houston |
| Gauge | Water Data for Texas — houston · Texas Water Development Board — Water Data for Texas |
| Datum | ft above mean sea level |
| Last verified | August 20, 2026 |
LakeDates reports lake level, not ramp status. Whether a given ramp or marina is usable at this level varies ramp by ramp — call the marina before you tow.
Quick answers
How full is Lake Houston right now?
Lake Houston is at 42.27 ft (above mean sea level) as of August 20, 2026 — 0.1 ft below full pool — typical for mid-August The lake is holding 99% of its conservation capacity.
What percent full is Lake Houston?
As of August 20, 2026, Lake Houston is holding 99% of its conservation capacity, per Water Data for Texas — Lake Houston.
Is Lake Houston full?
Not quite — at 42.27 ft, Lake Houston is 0.1 ft below its full pool of 42.38 ft (above mean sea level). The lake is holding 99% of its conservation capacity.
What is full pool for Lake Houston?
Full pool (the conservation pool) for Lake Houston is 42.38 ft above mean sea level, per Water Data for Texas — Lake Houston. Levels above it use flood storage; levels below it are drawdown.