Texas Lakes

Texas-Map

Texas is broken up in to 7 regions: Panhandle Plains, Prairies & Lakes, Pineywoods, Gulf Coast, South Texas Plains, Hill Country, and Big Bend country.  This website will focus on the Prairies & Lakes and Pineywoods regions of Texas.  Visit the pages on our website that have been dedicated to each of the lakes in the different counties of East Texas,  Cedar Creek Lake, and Texas Lakes.  The Texas Parks and Wildlife works diligently in stocking Texas lakes with different species of fish.  Visit their website to learn more.

The lakes in Texas do have a water controlling authority.

  • Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) lakes do allow home ownership at the waterfront with a bulkhead wall and boathouse.  The TRWD lakes have a conservation or spillway elevation with a current 100 year flood level.  Example Cedar Creek Lake current level (full pool) is 325ft above mean sea level (msl).  The 7 TRWD Lakes are: Arlington, Benbrook, Bridgeport, Cedar Creek Lake, Eagle Mountain, Lake Worth, and the newest is Richland Chambers.
  • River authority as the water authority lakes may or may not allow home ownership at the waterfront with boathouses. There are 24 river authorities in Texas. River Authority lake examples include Fork, Palestine, and Tawakoni.
  • Army Corps of Engineers lakes, typically you can not build and live at the waterline, nor have a boathouse.  There are 24 USACE Lakes: Aquilla, Bardwell, Belton, Benbrook, Canyon Lake, Jim Chapman/Cooper Dam, Georgetown, Granger, Grapevine, Hords Creek, Joe Pool, Lake O’The Pines, Lavon, Lewisville, Navarro Mills, Proctor, Ray Roberts, Sam Rayburn, Somerville, Stillhouse Hollow, Town Bluff/B.A. Steinhagen, Waco, Whitney, and Wright Patman.
  • A City as the water authority may or may not allow home ownership at the water with a boathouse. City owned lakes are Athens and Tyler. Both of these lakes allow waterfront ownership and boathouses.
  • Water District controlled lakes may or may not allow home ownership at the water with a boathouse. Lakes include Bob Sandlin, Cypress Springs, Jacksonville, and Striker.
  • Then there are lakes owned and controlled by a Power company. Lakes include Montecillo.
  • Home owners Association managed lakes include Hideaway.

They all have different rules and regulations. Some lakes you own all the way to the mean sea level (MSL). There are lakes that have a long term lease back program. It is important to work with a lake realtor familiar with the territory.

What Are YOUR Lake Living Goals?

Important Questions to Consider:

  • Do you want to use the lake recreationally, or are you a fisherman, or do you simply want the view
  • Do you just want to fish?
  • Do you want to be able to ski, wakeboard, jetski, tube, swim, paddleboard, kayak?
  • Do you want to just see the water but not go out on it?
  • Do you want a pool?
  • Do you want to own the land or have a long term lease?
  • Do you want wilidlife in your area?
  • Do you want a sunrise or sunset view? Or is it all about the breeze?
  • What kind of boat do you have? Is it a fully loaded boat with a rack to pull wakeboarders and skiers or a pontoon boat? Size and weight are important. The bigger the boat, the deeper the water you need, and the more expensive the homes are.
  • Are you going to live and use the lakehome and/or do you want to be able to rent it out? Each subdivision has different rules and guidelines and property owner associations. Some might not allow renting of properties. It will be important to review deed restrictions.
  • Would an Offwater home with a water view work and a property owners park (POA) with boat launch?