Lake Ralph Hall

This is what a zig-zag weir looks like: the unique, concrete dam feature that sits at the top of the spillway. The zig-zag shape will help naturally and safely control the release of water from the lake once it is full.

Have questions about future lake recreation? Read our latest eNews for more information and to learn about recent progress on the balancing reservoir: https://loom.ly/0tJHZ7c.

Check out this 1-year-old Florida bass that will eventually call home! This fish was stocked in 2025 at a nearby pond through our partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Toyota ShareLunker Program, with plans underway to add more fingerlings to the main river channel late this spring or early summer. In addition to bass, the lake will also offer black and white crappie, channel and blue catfish, sunfish, bluegill, threadfin and gizzard shad. More answers to your fishing and boating questions here: https://loom.ly/DjHg6-c.

Randy Sliger with UTRWD has a unique job: working as the day-in, day-out project manager for the construction crews. Randy started working with UTRWD in June of 1995, and he has been responsible for keeping the large lake project moving forward smoothly. He sees it as a special privilege to work on this legacy project to provide “water for Upper Trinity, but also a significant boost for the local economy.” https://loom.ly/06YHcgA

Meet Randy Sliger: Managing a Legacy Project Large infrastructure projects like Lake Ralph Hall rely on experienced professionals working for years, behind-the-scenes. For Randy Sliger, that means servi...

It’s great to see people out and enjoying the new ! As you head out to hunt, please pack out what you pack in and respect posted guidelines for everyone’s enjoyment and safety. More info at https://loom.ly/nhTNivc

The balancing reservoir south of Lake Ralph Hall is now finished and in testing. The smaller reservoir is located about 27 miles from and features two “large bathtubs” (see below). It separates two sections of pipeline from the lake: one where water is pumped and another section where water flows by gravity. More info at https://loom.ly/w-ZAVK8.

We appreciate that there’s so much excitement and interest in future recreation at Lake Ralph Hall, and we have seen the questions you’ve shared recently.

Our priority over the last five years has been building the lake and the facilities to deliver water. Knowing how important recreation is to the local area, Upper Trinity is also working to include lake amenities as part of the project: three public access areas, boat ramps, fishing jetty, Ladonia Fossil Park, a trail system and the Visitor Center and Lake Office. The new Ladonia Fossil Park is now open. Other recreation activities will be allowed once the lake is filled (which could take 3-5 years depending on rainfall) and is safe for public use.

We will share information here and on the Lake Ralph Hall website as it becomes available. Please check out our newly updated project FAQ for commonly asked questions on hunting, fish stocking, camping, boat ramps and more: https://lakeralphhall.com/about/faq/.

A major milestone at : Crews have placed all five million cubic yards of earth to form the dam’s embankment, bringing the project to nearly 85% complete.
The embankment forms the backbone of the dam:

• 2.3 miles across the landscape
• 115 feet at its tallest point

Crews are now focused on final elements including the intake tower, spillway and erosion protection as the dam heads toward completion this summer.

The top part of the spillway is going up! It will be topped with a zigzag labyrinth weir. The weir carefully regulates water releases between 551 and 553 feet above sea level, while still allowing high water above 553 feet to safely pass downstream. More info at https://lakeralphhall.com/project-updates/.

Curious about future recreational access to ? Once open to the public, the lake will feature multiple public access points with boat ramps, a fishing jetty, and a visitor center. The access points will open once the lake is sufficiently filled and safe for recreational use.