USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

08102000 Belton Lake near Belton, TX

LOCATION - Lat 31°06'22", long 97°28'28" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Bell County, TX, Hydrologic Unit 12070201, in intake structure at Belton Dam on Leon River, 1.6 mi upstream from bridge on State Highway 317, 3.5 mi north of Belton, 8.9 mi upstream from Nolan Creek, and 16.7 mi upstream from mouth of the Leon River.

DRAINAGE AREA - 3,570 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WDR-US-2007: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Mar. 1954 to Sept. 2000 (midnight observed contents furnished by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Oct. 2000 to Jan. 2004 (daily mean contents). Oct. 2000 to current year. Prior to Oct. 1970, published as "Belton Reservoir". PERIOD OF RECORD, Water-Quality.-- CHEMICAL DATA: Oct. 1961 to Oct. 1966, Feb. 1975 to Sept. 1977, Oct. 1980 to Apr. 1984. BIOCHEMICAL DATA: Sept. 1970 to Sept. 1984, Jan. 1994 to Aug. 1998. PESTICIDE DATA: Aug. 2006.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is NGVD of 1929 (levels by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Prior to Feb. 20, 1955, nonrecording gage at present site and datum. Satellite telemeter at station.

COOPERATION - Prior to Oct. 1, 2000, record of contents furnished by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and reviewed by the U.S. Geological Survey. A new capacity table, provided by the Texas Water Development Board, was put into use beginning Oct. 1, 1995.

REMARKS - Records fair. The lake is formed by a rolled earthfill dam 5,524 ft long, including a 1,300-ft uncontrolled broad-crested spillway in a saddle near left end of dam and a 418-ft-long dike. Deliberate impoundment began Mar. 8, 1954, and the dam was completed in Dec. 1954. The dam is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lake was built for flood control and conservation storage. The controlled outlet works consist of a 22.0-ft-diameter conduit that is controlled by three 7.0- by 22.0-ft broom-type gates. The service outlet consists of a 36- by 36-in gated outlet that discharges into the flood-control conduit. There are many small diversions upstream for irrigation, municipal supply, and oil field operations. Data regarding the dam are given in the following table:

                                                                              Elevation (feet)
Top of dam............................................................            662.0
Design flood..........................................................            656.9
Crest of spillway.....................................................            631.0
Top of conservation pool..............................................            594.0
Service outlet (invert)...............................................            540.0
Lowest gated outlet (invert)..........................................            483.0

Water quality data published as:

Site ID          Site name
310640097283701  Lake Belton Site AC near Belton, TX
310646097283301  Lake Belton Site AL near Belton, TX
310711097302201  Lake Belton Site BC near Belton, TX
310732097300001  Lake Belton Site BL near Belton, TX
310829097312201  Lake Belton Site CC near Belton, TX
310923097332601  Lake Belton Site DC near Belton, TX
310829097294301  Lake Belton Site EC near Belton, TX
310938097300201  Lake Belton Site FC near Belton, TX
311004097275601  Lake Belton Site GC near Belton, TX
311042097300701  Lake Belton Site HC near Belton, TX
311254097291301  Lake Belton Site IC near Belton, TX

Some records listed in the "Period of Record" for surface water and water quality may not be available electronically.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Mar. 1954 to Sept. 2002: Maximum contents, 1,168,000 acre-ft, Mar. 6, 1992; minimum contents since initial filling, 113,400 acre-ft; Mar. 1954 to current year: Maximum elevation, 634.36 ft, Mar. 6, 1992; minimum elevation, 553.06 ft, Dec. 16, 1956.