Overview
Falcon Lake is a roughly 87,000-acre international reservoir on the Rio Grande along the Texas–Mexico border in Zapata and Starr counties, Texas, and Tamaulipas, Mexico. Falcon Dam was completed in the 1950s and is operated by the International Boundary and Water Commission for water storage, flood control, hydroelectric power, and recreation under binational water treaties.
At conservation pool the lake has about 800 miles of shoreline, an average depth near 30 feet, and a maximum depth of about 110 feet. Broad open water, riverine upper ends, and arid brush-country shoreline create a large, windswept border reservoir whose surface area changes substantially with drought and flood.
Falcon is famous among anglers for largemouth bass and also produces catfish and other warmwater species, with fisheries on the Texas side managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. State parks, boat ramps, and border communities provide access, though recreation patterns can shift with water levels and border conditions.
Water levels are managed by the IBWC around a conservation pool of 301.2 feet above mean sea level (NGVD29), with flood storage to about 306.7 feet. Upstream on the Rio Grande system, Amistad Reservoir is the other major IBWC lake in Texas, so Falcon elevations reflect basin inflows, treaty operations, and flood control. Monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and shoreline access.
Current Conditions
Falcon Lake is currently 38 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 0.56 ft
- 30-day changeDown 2.07 ft
- Drought conditionsAbnormally Dry
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Falcon Lake is a 87,000-acre reservoir on the Rio Grande managed by International Boundary and Water Commission.