Lakes in Austin & Highland Lakes Areas in Central Texas

Sailing, water skiing, canoeing, fishing or swimming. The vast areas of quiet water provide the skier with excellent surfaces. Swimmers delight in the natural sandy beaches. Fishing is best during the spring and fall, but still great during the heat of the summer because of the deep water these lakes offer.

• Lake Travis
• Lake LBJ
• Lake Marble Falls
• Lake Buchanan
• Inks Lake
• Lake Austin
• Pedernales River

River & Lake Conditions from LCRA 

There are wonderful opportunities for buying waterfront property in the Highland Lakes area, but here is some information to consider before purchasing:

The Highland Lakes Chain was created by the Lower Colorado River Authority with the goal of controlling the flood waters of the Colorado River.  The chain consists of 7 man-made dams starting to the northwest of Austin outside of Burnet, Texas.

Buchanan Dam               Lake Buchanan:     first one completed, finished in 1939, largest

Largest lake at over 22,000 acres.  Buchanan lake and dam were the first completed in the Highland Lakes chain and were built primarily to store water and supply hydroelectricity.

Inks Dam                        Inks Lake:              Level is controlled w/in 1 ft at all times, 831

Acres, max depth 60 ft.  Inks Dam, constructed from 1936 to 1938, has no floodgates and the power plant is the smallest in the Highland Lakes chain

Wirtz Dam                      Lake LBJ:              Completed in 1950, 6,534 acres, 90 ft deep

Level is controlled w/in 1 ft at all times.  The dam and lake originally were called Granite Shoals.  Wirtz Dam was built from 1949 to 1950 primarily to provide additional hydroelectric power.

Starcke Dam                    Lake Marble Falls: Completed in 1951, 611 acres, 60 ft deep,

Level is controlled w/in 1 ft at all times.  Starcke Dam has the distinction of being the smallest in the Highland Lakes chain and the last one created.

Mansfield Dam              Lake Travis:            65 miles long, 18,930 acres, 190 ft at deepest

                                                                       Point, primary flood control reservoir and not

A controlled level lake.   Mansfield Dam and Lake Travis are the only structures in the Highland Lakes chain specifically designed to contain floodwaters in the lower Colorado River basin. The lake can store as much as 260 billion gallons of floodwaters, helping to prevent destruction downstream.

Tom Miller Dam            Lake Austin:          1599 acres, 75 ft at deepest point, recreational

                                                                       Activities and proximity to Austin are a big

Draw, also a controlled level lake.   Tom Miller Dam is leased to LCRA by the City of Austin until December 2020. The dam, built to provide hydroelectricity and store water, creates Lake Austin.

Longhorn Dam    Town Lake:            The last lake created in 1960, also the

                                                                       Smallest at 468 acres, 18 ft at deepest pt,

                                                                       No motor boats are allowed

While everyone has their opinion as to which lake is best, our answer is…it depends on what you like to do while at the Lake.  As knowledgeable real estate professionals, we are here to help you in that choice.  Contact us for further information about any properties in the Highland Lakes areas – we would love to help!

Helpful Links:    

http://www.msc.fema.gov/          Current Flood Maps

http://www.tcrfc.org/tcfmp/travis.shtml        Proposed Revised Flood Maps (Travis County)

To View Properties on any of the Highland Lakes,

contact Paragon Property Group at

830/693-5400 TODAY!