Outlook
Middle estimate, with the range the level has an 8 in 10 chance of landing in. The bars share one scale: change from today.
Rises are harder to call. Heavy rain in the watershed can push the lake above these ranges within days.
- Rain, past 7 days
- 0.0 in0 mm watershed average
- Rain forecast, next 7 days
- 0.4 in11 mm normal 1.1 in27 mm
Statistical estimate, not safety, boating, or water-quality advice. For ramps, closures and advisories, check the lake operator.
Map
Map of Lake Athens with the dam, level gauge and 1 public boat ramp.
- Dam
- Level gauge
- Public boat ramp
Ramp locations from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Whether a ramp is open depends on the lake level; check the operator.
Level and outlook
FeetMeters above sea level
- Measured
- Middle estimate
- 8 in 10 range
- Full pool
Show outlook as a table
| Date | Low end | Middle | High end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2 | 439.4133.91 | 439.4133.93 | 439.5133.96 |
| Nov 9 | 439.3133.91 | 439.4133.94 | 439.8134.06 |
| Nov 25 | 439.2133.88 | 439.5133.96 | 440.2134.16 |
How well this outlook has done here
We tested the 2-week outlook on past years at this lake, as if made once a week with only what was known that day.
- On average it was off by
- 0.13 ft0.04 m Assuming the level stays the same was off by 0.19 ft0.06 m
- Actual level inside our range
- 81% of 432 tests; the range is built to catch 8 in 10
The rise chance uses the same threshold for every lake: 1 ft (0.3048 m).
Connected lakes
Water from upstream lakes flows into this one; water released here flows on downstream.
Downstream
Nearby lakes
Closest lakes in a straight line, with today's level.
- Cedar Creek Reservoir22 mi36 km away · 316.0 ft96.31 m · 72%
- Richland-Chambers Reservoir28 mi46 km away · 312.3 ft95.19 m · 90%
- Lake Jacksonville34 mi54 km away · 421.0 ft128.31 m · 95%
- Lake Tyler34 mi56 km away · 372.6 ft113.56 m · 83%
- Lake Halbert39 mi63 km away · 365.3 ft111.33 m · 75%
- Lake Tawakoni42 mi68 km away · 434.9 ft132.55 m · 89%
About Lake Athens
Lake Athens is a city water-supply lake on Flat Creek about eight miles east of Athens in Henderson County. The dam was completed in 1963, and the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is on the north shore. Flat Creek is a Neches tributary, and the next lake downstream is Lake Palestine.
- Full pool (conservation)
- 440.0 ft134.11 m
- Highest level since 1999
- 442.0 ft134.72 m, May 2015
- Lowest level since 1999
- 434.4 ft132.40 m, Nov 2011
- Surface area at normal pool
- 1,471 acres595 ha
- Conservation storage
- 29,503 acre-feet36 million m³
- Dam
- Lake Athens Dam, 1963
- River or creek
- Flat Creek
- County
- Henderson
- Owner
- Athens Municipal Water Authority
Elevations are feetmeters above sea level (NAVD88).
Common questions
Is Lake Athens full right now?
On Oct 26 it was 439.4 ft, 0.6 ft below full pool (440.0 ft), holding 97% of its conservation storage.On Oct 26 it was 133.94 m, 0.17 m below full pool (134.11 m), holding 97% of its conservation storage.
Is Lake Athens going up or down?
The middle estimate for Nov 9 is about steady, with an 8 in 10 chance it ends between 439.3 ft and 439.8 ft. The chance it ends 1 ft or more higher than today is under 5%. Heavy rain can change that quickly.The middle estimate for Nov 9 is about steady, with an 8 in 10 chance it ends between 133.91 m and 134.06 m. The chance it ends 0.3 m or more higher than today is under 5%. Heavy rain can change that quickly.
Where does this data come from?
Daily levels come from the Texas Water Development Board and lake operators. The outlook is our own statistical model, using recent levels and forecast rain over the watershed.