Overview
Lake Buchanan is a roughly 22,450-acre reservoir on the Colorado River in Burnet and Llano counties, the uppermost and largest of the Highland Lakes chain northwest of Austin. Buchanan Dam was completed in the 1930s and is operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) for water supply, hydroelectric power, and recreation.
The lake has about 124 miles of shoreline, an average depth near 39 feet, and a maximum depth of about 132 feet. Granite outcrops, open-water basins, and Hill Country coves define the setting, with both windswept main-lake water and quieter arms that attract boaters and anglers.
Buchanan is popular for striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass, catfish, and open-water boating, with fisheries managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Public parks, marinas, and boat ramps around Burnet and Llano counties support heavy recreational use, especially in summer.
Water levels are managed by LCRA around a year-round conservation pool of 1,020 feet on the LCRA legacy MSL datum (no dedicated flood pool). Immediately downstream, Inks Lake and farther down the chain Lake Travis share the same Colorado River operations, so Buchanan elevations respond to basin inflows, drought, and LCRA releases. Monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and dock access.
Current Conditions
Lake Buchanan is currently 0.6 feet below full pool and has fallen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendFallingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 0.24 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.10 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Lake Buchanan is a 22,452-acre reservoir on the Colorado River (Texas) managed by Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA).