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Lakes → Texas → Possum Kingdom Lake

Possum Kingdom Lake

Texas · Reservoir impounded 1941 · near Graford

17,000 acres 145 ft deep 12 ft clarity Water C
Compare
6.0SCORE
Survey summary · Texas
17,000
Surface acres
145 ft
Max depth
310 mi
Shoreline
12 ft
Typical clarity
1,000 ft
Elevation
AS09-22-3336 (22034859615).jpg AS09-22-3337 (22022510782).jpg

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

Possum Kingdom Lake covers 17,000 acres in Texas and drops to 145 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1941 and managed by Brazos River Authority. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 15 feet, typically drawn down in summer. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Short-term rental posture: Palo Pinto County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Boating
  • Cliff diving

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 6.0
Recreation 7.2
Value 3.5
Access 6.1
Investment 6.9

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 bassCatfishSand bass

On the water

BoatingCliff divingFishingScuba
No USGS gauge on this lake. We only publish a station when its own name matches this water body. Nearby gauges on other lakes would look like data and mislead you, so we show nothing instead. Why we do that.
3.10 ft
Gage height
2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs summer low · Possum Kingdom Lake
15 ft FULL POOL SUMMER 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 15 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 66 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 471 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 145 ft max avg 46 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 145 ft, average 46 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityManaged Typical drawdown15 ft Drawdown seasonSummer Trophic stateMesotrophic Typical clarity12 ft Water quality gradeC Elevation1,000 ft Managing authorityBrazos River Authority
This lake moves. A drawdown near 15 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 authorityBrazos River Authority Wake / speed rulesNo-wake in coves
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with Brazos River Authority that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Palo Pinto County

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.
$525,000
Median waterfront
$4,871
Per shoreline foot
+3.5%
Year over year
90
Est. inventory
85
Avg days on market
$473
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy38% Booked nights / yr100 Gross revenue$53,009 Net operating income$25,414 Yield on median price4.84%
Open the full model →

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

$4,452
All-in per month
$120,850
Cash to close + setup
$12,515
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$53,426 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $33,193 (64%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $5,775 (11%) Property taxes $5,512 (11%) Utilities $2,700 (5%) Hazard insurance $2,205 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (2%) Dock maintenance $900 (2%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$33,193
Property taxes$5,512
Hazard insurance$2,205
Flood insurance$650
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$5,775
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$53,426
Model your own numbers →

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