If you’ve driven across the Overlook lately or tried to launch a boat near Hancock, you know the vibe at Canyon Lake has shifted. It’s a bit eerie. The emerald-green water we all love is still there, but it’s sitting way down in the basin, exposing limestone "rings" that look like ribs on a bleached skeleton.
Right now, as of January 17, 2026, Canyon Lake TX water levels are sitting at 888.21 feet.
To put that in perspective, "full" is 909 feet. We are nearly 21 feet low. Honestly, seeing the numbers on a screen is one thing, but standing on the shore where the water used to lap against the grass—and realizing that spot is now a dusty 100-yard walk from the current shoreline—is a whole different reality check.
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The Myth of the "Leaking" Lake
One of the biggest things people get wrong about the current state of the lake is the "where is the water going?" mystery. I’ve heard rumors at the local gas stations that the dam is leaking or that the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) is "selling it all to San Marcos."
That's not really how it works.
According to Adeline Fox at the GBRA, the reservoir is performing exactly how it was designed to during a record-breaking drought. It’s a bank account. We’ve been withdrawing more than we’ve been depositing for years. Between 2020 and 2025, the watershed north of the lake—where the actual "filling" happens—received less than one-fifth of its expected inflow. You can’t blame the cashier for an empty account if you haven't made a deposit in five years.
And yeah, San Marcos and New Braunfels do draw from it. In fact, San Marcos gets about 8.9 million gallons a day from this source. But the real "thief" isn't a city pipe; it’s the Texas sun. In a brutal summer, evaporation can suck up to six feet of water right off the surface. That’s billions of gallons just vanishing into thin air.
What's Actually Open? (The Boat Ramp Situation)
This is where it gets frustrating for locals and weekend warriors. Most of the county-run ramps are currently closed. Why? Because the concrete literally ends before the water begins. If you try to launch at a closed ramp, you’re basically backing your trailer into a limestone cliff or a mud pit.
As of this week, only two public lifelines are left:
- Boat Ramp 14: Managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- Boat Ramp 18: Managed by W.O.R.D. (Water Oriented Recreation District).
If you’re planning to head out, check the morning updates. These ramps are the last ones standing because they were built into deeper pockets of the old river channel. If the level drops another few feet, even these might become "launch at your own risk" zones.
It’s also worth noting that the "sunken history" of Canyon Lake is popping up. When the levels hit record lows in late 2023 and again in early 2025, people started seeing the ruins of old Hancock—the town that was flooded to make the lake. You can see old bridge foundations and stone walls that haven't seen the sun since the 1960s. It’s cool, sure, but it’s a sobering reminder of just how much water is missing.
Why Rain in Comal County Doesn't Help
You’d think a massive thunderstorm over the lake would fix things. Nope.
If it pours at the Horseshoe or in Sattler, the lake level barely budges. For Canyon Lake to "recharge," we need what’s called "basin-wide" rain. We need it to pour in the Upper Guadalupe watershed—places like Comfort, Kerrville, and Hunt. That water has to travel down the river and into the "neck" of the lake at Spring Branch.
Currently, the inflow at Spring Branch is a measly 35 cubic feet per second (cfs). For context, during a good "filling" event, that number can jump to 5,000 or even 50,000 cfs. We are basically trying to fill a swimming pool with a leaky eyedropper.
The 2026 Outlook: Is There Hope?
The National Weather Service recently released its drought outlook, and it’s... well, it’s not great. We’re looking at a "warmer and drier than normal" trend for the next three months.
But here is the thing about the Hill Country: it’s a land of extremes.
In 2002, the lake was low, and then it filled up twice in one year. In 2015, we went from "drought of record" to "record flooding" in a matter of weeks. One well-placed tropical remnant or a stalled cold front over the Kerrville divide could bring us back to 909 feet faster than you can find your life jackets.
Is the lake "dying"? Hardly. Even at 61% capacity, there is still over 230,000 acre-feet of water in there. It’s still deep, it’s still cold, and the fishing is actually pretty decent because the fish are concentrated into smaller areas. You just have to be a lot more careful about where you’re driving your boat. Those humps and islands that used to be 10 feet underwater are now "lower unit killers" lurking just inches below the surface.
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Your Action Plan for Visiting Right Now
If you’re coming to the lake, don't just wing it. The old rules don't apply.
- Check the Real-Time Level: Use the Texas Water Development Board site. If the number is below 890, assume most ramps are a no-go.
- Navigate with Eyes Open: If you see a cluster of birds standing in the middle of the lake, they aren't floating. They’re standing on a submerged island. Give them a wide berth.
- Stick to the Marinas: If you don't want to mess with public ramps, the private marinas like Cranes Mill or Canyon Lake Marina often have better access because they maintain their slips and launch areas specifically for low water.
- Respect the Restrictions: We are currently under strict water usage stages. If you’re staying at an Airbnb, don't be that person washing their truck in the driveway.
The lake will come back. It always does. But for now, we’re all just waiting on the clouds to do their job over the Hill Country hills. Until then, keep an eye on the gauge and keep your prop high.
Current Priority Checklist:
- Verify your launch point via the WORD of Comal County website before leaving the house.
- Update your GPS mapping—many older depth charts are currently off by 20 feet, which can lead to grounding in areas that used to be safe.
- Monitor the Spring Branch flow rates; if you see that number jump above 500 cfs, the lake is finally starting to "earn" water again.