Local lakes surge, but Abilene’s water levels remain low

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – After several recent rain events have significantly increased water levels across the Big Country, many local lakes are experiencing major rises in their capacities. In fact, some areas have officially emerged from drought conditions.

For instance, Fort Phantom Hill Lake is currently at about 73% capacity, and there was even discussion of potential scalping. However, a recent pipe break has delayed that possibility. It’s also important to note that recent data from November 2024 indicated that lake levels were around 62.7% capacity.

Abilene Fisherman Melvin Harper says he has been out just about every other day to try to reel in a live one at Lake Fort Phantom Hill. The increased capacity makes for a more relaxing day of fishing.

“I love fishing. When the wind ain’t up and the weather’s good, you come out and go fishing. Normally, you have to go out deep and get ’em, but here lately, since the lake’s been up, they’ve been coming in closer,” Harper said.

Meanwhile, other lakes in the region, like Lake Stamford and Lake Coleman, are currently at 100% capacity. But despite being in the same general area (within the Big Country), Lake Abilene still sits at dangerously low (6.5%) levels. Why is that?

There are several reasons for this, which can be broken down as follows:

One of the most notable factors in the Big Country is its topography. Many people may not realize that several creeks in the southern part of Taylor County actually flow from south to north. This may seem surprising, but it makes sense when you consider that the elevation is higher in the south. Therefore, when it rains, water naturally flows northward in some of our creeks.

The watershed that feeds into Lake Abilene runs from the southeast toward the northwest, so it’s at a disadvantage compared to surrounding lakes that sit in more favorable positions. Abilene State Park Assistant Superintendent Candyce Johnson said conditions have been worsening over the past three years.

“Lake Abilene has not fared very well with the drought; Elm Creek to the west of here is bone dry,” said Johnson.

However, this issue is not the only concern. Another important factor is the Clear Fork of the Brazos River watershed. Taylor County is located within the Upper Clear Fork Brazos watershed, which comprises several smaller sub-watersheds. In simple terms, a watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a common outlet, such as a lake, river, or the ocean. The boundaries of these watersheds are determined by the land’s elevation, with hills and ridges channeling the flow of rainwater.

The Clear Fork Brazos River begins in Scurry County and flows through Fisher, Jones, Shackelford, and Throckmorton counties before ultimately joining the main Brazos River in Young County. Notably, it does not flow through Taylor County.

Lake Abilene, situated at a higher elevation, does not benefit significantly from the river system’s water. The farther a location is from a river’s main flow, the less likely it is to receive runoff, especially in smaller, less connected watersheds. In contrast, lakes like Fort Phantom, which are directly connected to the river system, are more likely to fill up during heavy rainfall. This is beneficial for the public, as Fort Phantom serves as a major water source. However, the outlook for Lake Abilene, which primarily serves recreational purposes, is not as promising.

With drought conditions still lingering in some of our counties within the BC&H, rain tends to prioritize those regions (in terms of where the water flows and soaks up). Add in the elevation challenges, and you’re left with a situation where streams would have to flow “uphill” just to get water into Lake Abilene. And that’s just not likely at this moment in time.

In fact, because Abilene itself sits in a shallow bowl, rainwater tends to collect more in lower elevation lakes and reservoirs in town. That makes it even harder for water to flow naturally toward Lake Abilene.

For the lake to fill, several factors must align. To help retain the water, they would need a complete end to the drought in the Big Country, record-breaking rainfall, and cooler, wetter conditions. Over the past decade, they have observed a few brief periods when Lake Abilene’s levels rose above their current state. However, over the last year, they have noticed that the water levels have remained relatively stable, with no significant improvement.

Johnson said that they expect the lake to fill up at least a little more in the coming years, as she says it usually dries up every 10 years.

“And last year was the 10-year mark, so the fact that we still have some water in it…We’re happy about that,” said Johnson.

But even at a single-digit volume percentage and declining visitors, Johnson says fishermen and hikers are still making their way out to the lake, and there are still many offerings to enjoy.