USLakeFront Lake survey & intelligence
20070811 LT Balloon 0087.jpg
M1kmurph1 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lakes → Texas → Lake Travis

Lake Travis

Texas · Reservoir impounded 1942 · near Austin

18,929 acres 210 ft deep 10 ft clarity Water D
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6.1SCORE
Survey summary · Texas
18,929
Surface acres
210 ft
Max depth
271 mi
Shoreline
10 ft
Typical clarity
681 ft
Elevation
20070811 LT Balloon 0087.jpg 2011 Texas Drought.jpg Aerial - Colorado River (Texas) and Pedernales River 01.jpg

Photographs of Lake Travis via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.

Lake Travis covers 18,929 acres in Texas and drops to 210 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1942 and managed by LCRA. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 50 feet, typically drawn down in multi-year. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Short-term rental posture: Travis County; STR heavy. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Deep water — 210 ft max
  • Boating
  • Cliff jumping

Watch outs

  • Seasonal drawdown near 50 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
  • Multi-year level volatility; review historical pool elevation before buying

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 5.4
Recreation 7.2
Value 5.3
Access 6.1
Investment 6.6

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Striped bassLargemouth bassGuadalupe bassCatfish

On the water

BoatingCliff jumpingFishingSunset cruises
No USGS gauge on this lake. Water level and clarity figures below come from published lake management data rather than a live sensor.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs multi-year low · Lake Travis
50 ft FULL POOL MULTI-YEAR LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 50 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 73 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 503 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 210 ft max avg 67 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 210 ft, average 67 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityVolatile Typical drawdown50 ft Drawdown seasonMulti-year Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity10 ft Water quality gradeD Elevation681 ft Managing authorityLCRA
This lake moves. A drawdown near 50 feet changes dock reach, boat access, and the look of the shoreline. Tour in the low season, or at minimum look at the gauge history above before you offer.

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityLCRA Wake / speed rulesNo-wake in coves
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with LCRA that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Travis County; STR heavy

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$490,000
Median waterfront
$2,427
Per shoreline foot
+8.6%
Year over year
233
Est. inventory
123
Avg days on market
$252
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy45% Booked nights / yr118 Gross revenue$36,638 Net operating income$15,146 Yield on median price3.09%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Lake Travis actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$4,339
All-in per month
$113,010
Cash to close + setup
$13,880
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$52,064 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $30,981 (61%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $5,390 (11%) Property taxes $5,145 (10%) Utilities $2,700 (5%) Flood insurance $2,400 (5%) Hazard insurance $2,058 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (2%) Dock maintenance $900 (2%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$30,981
Property taxes$5,145
Hazard insurance$2,058
Flood insurance$2,400
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$5,390
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$52,064
Model your own numbers →

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