Bardwell Lake Water Level Today
Also known as Lake Bardwell
Daily level, percent full and history for Bardwell Lake, on the Waxahachie Creek in Texas.
Updated · Source: Texas Water Development BoardTWDB
Is Bardwell Lake full?
No. Bardwell Lake is 83.6% full, 2.29 ft below full pool. It is 1.78 ft lower than a year ago (420.49 ft on Nov 9, 2025).
Bardwell Lake level history
Full pool 421.0 ft
View data table
| Date | Level (ft) | % full |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 9, 2026 | 418.71 | 83.6% |
| Nov 8, 2026 | 418.72 | 83.6% |
| Nov 7, 2026 | 418.73 | 83.7% |
| Nov 6, 2026 | 418.76 | 83.9% |
| Nov 5, 2026 | 418.77 | 84.0% |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 418.79 | 84.1% |
| Nov 3, 2026 | 418.81 | 84.3% |
| Nov 2, 2026 | 418.78 | 84.1% |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 418.81 | 84.3% |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 418.83 | 84.4% |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 418.84 | 84.5% |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 418.85 | 84.5% |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 418.86 | 84.6% |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 418.87 | 84.7% |
| Oct 26, 2026 | 418.89 | 84.8% |
| Oct 25, 2026 | 418.91 | 85.0% |
| Oct 24, 2026 | 418.93 | 85.1% |
| Oct 23, 2026 | 418.95 | 85.2% |
| Oct 22, 2026 | 418.98 | 85.4% |
| Oct 21, 2026 | 419.00 | 85.6% |
| Oct 20, 2026 | 419.02 | 85.7% |
| Oct 19, 2026 | 419.04 | 85.9% |
| Oct 18, 2026 | 419.07 | 86.1% |
| Oct 17, 2026 | 419.12 | 86.4% |
| Oct 16, 2026 | 419.20 | 87.0% |
| Oct 15, 2026 | 419.21 | 87.0% |
| Oct 14, 2026 | 419.23 | 87.2% |
| Oct 13, 2026 | 419.24 | 87.2% |
| Oct 12, 2026 | 419.26 | 87.4% |
| Oct 11, 2026 | 419.29 | 87.6% |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 419.32 | 87.8% |
Full pool 421.0 ftLow 418.71 ft · Nov 9High 425.28 ft · Jun 10
View data table
| Month | Low (ft) | High (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2026 | 418.71 | 418.81 |
| Oct 2026 | 418.83 | 419.41 |
| Sep 2026 | 418.90 | 419.72 |
| Aug 2026 | 419.78 | 420.68 |
| Jul 2026 | 420.76 | 421.19 |
| Jun 2026 | 421.23 | 425.25 |
| May 2026 | 420.95 | 421.91 |
| Apr 2026 | 421.09 | 421.71 |
| Mar 2026 | 420.97 | 421.46 |
| Feb 2026 | 421.04 | 421.57 |
| Jan 2026 | 421.08 | 421.59 |
| Dec 2025 | 421.15 | 421.24 |
| Nov 2025 | 420.35 | 421.18 |
Full pool 421.0 ft
View data table
| Year | Low (ft) | High (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 418.71 | 425.28 |
| 2025 | 420.25 | 426.71 |
| 2024 | 419.62 | 438.59 |
| 2023 | 419.32 | 423.99 |
| 2022 | 418.08 | 421.19 |
| 2021 | 420.26 | 433.10 |
| 2020 | 418.56 | 425.28 |
| 2019 | 418.65 | 434.46 |
| 2018 | 418.58 | 437.18 |
| 2017 | 418.81 | 421.95 |
| 2016 | 420.56 | 420.71 |
Full pool 421.0 ftHighest 440.68 ft · Jun 18, 2015Lowest 415.69 ft · Dec 2, 2011
View data table
| Decade | Low (ft) | High (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 418.08 | 438.88 |
| 2010s | 415.69 | 439.99 |
| 2000s | 416.93 | 434.64 |
| 1990s | 417.75 | 434.52 |
| 1980s | 419.04 | 429.74 |
- Bardwell Lake level
- Full pool 421.0 ft
- Above full pool
Bardwell Lake on Nov 9 in past years
| Year | Level (ft) | vs today | % full |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026today | 418.71 | — | |
| 2025 | 420.49 | +1.78 | |
| 2024 | 419.88 | +1.17 | |
| 2023 | 421.71 | +3.00 | |
| 2022 | 418.76 | +0.05 | |
| 2021 | 420.61 | +1.90 | |
| 2020 | 420.59 | +1.88 | |
| 2019 | 419.09 | +0.38 | |
| 2018 | 437.11 | +18.40 | |
| 2017 | 419.28 | +0.57 | |
| 2016 | 420.56 | +1.85 |
Today’s level is the lowest for this date since 2013.
Lake facts
- Conservation capacity
- 43,856 acre-ft
- Surface area today
- 3,003 acres
- Highest since 1988
- 440.68 ftJun 18, 2015
- Lowest since 1988
- 415.69 ftDec 2, 2011
- Data since
- Oct 1, 1988
- Dam
- Bardwell Damcompleted 1965
- River
- Waxahachie Creek
- Dam location
- Ellis County
- Gauge location
- 32.2501, −96.6472
Dam, river and owner from the National Inventory of Dams (USACE). Records cover Oct 1, 1988 to today (daily averages).
Bardwell Lake map and depth
- Dam and level gauge
- Average depth when full
- about 13 ftcapacity ÷ surface area
- Average depth today
- about 12 ftstorage ÷ surface area today
- Surface area
- about 3,300 acresmeasured on the OpenStreetMap outline
- Height of Bardwell Dam
- 82 ftNational Inventory of Dams
The outline shows the mapped shoreline, not today’s water line: when the lake is low, the water stands back from it.
Fishing on Bardwell Lake
- Main fish species
- White & hybrid striped bass and crappie
- Bag and length limits
- Statewide rules for all species
- Last stocking
- 2025: 49,238 sunshine bass fingerlings
| Year | Species | Number | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sunshine bass | 49,238 | Fingerling |
| 2024 | Sunshine bass | 95,009 | Fingerling |
| 2023 | Sunshine bass | 48,062 | Fingerling |
| 2022 | Blue catfish | 116,026 | Fingerling |
| 2022 | Sunshine bass | 50,281 | Fingerling |
| 2021 | Blue catfish | 151,997 | Fingerling |
| 2021 | Sunshine bass | 47,244 | Fingerling |
| 2020 | Sunshine bass | 150,000 | Fry |
| 2017 | Palmetto bass | 11,199 | Fingerling |
| 2016 | Blue catfish | 157,983 | Fingerling |
| 2016 | Sunshine bass | 47,393 | Fingerling |
This week’s fishing report (TPWD) · TPWD guide to Bardwell Lake
Species, fishing rules and stocking records from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (checked Nov 9, 2026).
Weather on the lake
- Today73°FHighLow 56°FCalmChance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
- Tonight56°FLowCalmChance Rain Showers
- Tuesday77°FHighLow 57°FSSW 0–5 mphSunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
- Wednesday81°FHighLow 54°FW 0–5 mphSunny
- Thursday74°FHighLow 46°FNNW 5–10 mphSunny
- Friday68°FHighLow 43°FN 0–5 mphSunny
- Saturday71°FHighLow 49°FSE 0–5 mphSunny
Forecast: National Weather Service for the dam area (32.25, −96.65). Wind speeds are forecasts, not measurements.
Nearby lakes
Quick answers
What is the full pool level of Bardwell Lake?
421.0 ft above mean sea level, the top of its conservation pool. Above it, the extra water is flood storage that is later released downstream through Bardwell Dam.
How much does Bardwell Lake need to be full?
Bardwell Lake needs 2.29 ft more water to reach full pool (421.0 ft), or about 7,202 acre-ft of storage, as of Nov 9, 2026.
How deep is Bardwell Lake?
Bardwell Lake is about 13 ft deep on average when full: 43,856 acre-ft of storage spread over about 3,300 acres of surface. At today’s level the average depth is about 12 ft. As in most reservoirs, the deepest water is in the old river channel near Bardwell Dam.
What fish are in Bardwell Lake?
Texas Parks and Wildlife lists white & hybrid striped bass and crappie as the main fish in Bardwell Lake. The last stocking was in 2025: 49,238 sunshine bass fingerlings.
Is Bardwell Lake rising or falling?
It is falling: −0.07 ft in the last 7 days and −0.01 ft in 24 hours, to 418.71 ft on Nov 9, 2026 (Texas Water Development Board).
When was Bardwell Lake last full?
It was last at or above full pool (421.0 ft) on Jul 21, 2026. On Nov 9, 2026 it was 2.29 ft below.
What is the highest level in our data?
Bardwell Lake reached 440.68 ft on Jun 18, 2015. The lowest was 415.69 ft on Dec 2, 2011 (TWDB data since 1988; older records are not in this data set).
How much has Bardwell Lake changed in the last year?
In the last 12 months it ranged from 418.71 ft (Nov 9, 2026) to 425.28 ft (Jun 10, 2026), a swing of 6.57 ft.
How often is this page updated?
This page is updated every morning with the daily reading published by the Texas Water Development Board. The last reading is from Nov 9, 2026.
Where this data comes from
Daily reservoir data from the Texas Water Development Board (Bardwell Lake on waterdatafortexas.org). Updated every morning. Weather from the National Weather Service. Dam details from the National Inventory of Dams.
Lake Levels Daily is an independent site, not affiliated with TWDB, LCRA, USACE, USGS, NOAA, TVA or any lake operator. Check official sources before making safety decisions.