{{for|the band|Madina Lake}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox body of water |name = Medina Lake |image = Medina lake 2010.jpg |caption = Medina Lake in 2010 |image_bathymetry = US-TX-MedinaLake.png |caption_bathymetry = Map |lake_type = Agricultural reservoir |location = Bandera / Medina counties, Texas, US |basin_countries= United States |coords = {{coord|29|32|25|N|98|56|01|W|type:waterbody_region:US-TX|display=inline,title}} |inflow = Medina River |outflow = Medina River |area = {{convert|6,060|acre|abbr=on}} |depth = |max-depth = {{convert|152|ft|abbr=on}} |elevation = {{convert|1062|ft|abbr=on}} |residence_time = |shore = {{convert|110|mi|abbr=on}} <!-- Map --> | pushpin_map = Texas#USA | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Medina Lake in Texas, USA. | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Below --> | website = | reference = }}

'''Medina Lake''' is a reservoir on the Medina River in the Texas Hill Country of the United States. It is operated by the Bexar/Medina/Atascosa County Agricultural District. Medina Dam was completed in 1913 in a privately financed project, creating the lake to supply irrigation water for local agricultural use. Lake Medina is in northeastern Medina County and southeastern Bandera County, about 40 miles (64&nbsp;km) northwest of San Antonio.

It is a crescent-shaped reservoir running west to east. It is 18 miles (29&nbsp;km) long and 3 miles (5&nbsp;km) wide at its broadest point. It is contained by the Medina Dam at the lake's south end. At the time of the dam's construction, it was the largest concrete dam in the country and the fourth largest dam overall. The dam is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The lake is fed by and discharges back into the Medina River, and serves both recreational and irrigation uses. Communities located along the lake are Mico, Lake Medina Shores and Lakehills.

==Fish populations== Medina Lake has been stocked with species of fish intended to improve the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish in Medina Lake include largemouth bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, catfish, and carp. Due to drought conditions lasting up until July 2015, recreational fish species had disappeared. Plans to restock the lake once levels reach viable levels were put in place. These plans were realized when the lake did reach these levels, which as of October 2, 2016, was 96.6% full.<ref>{{cite web| publisher= KSAT ABC 12| url= http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2015/01/15/medina-lake-s-rich-fishing-history-now-only-a-memory.html| title= Medina Lake's rich fishing history now only a memory| accessdate= May 25, 2015| archive-date= August 9, 2015| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150809122256/http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2015/01/15/medina-lake-s-rich-fishing-history-now-only-a-memory.html| url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/medina|title = Water Data for Texas}}</ref>

==Future and state of the lake== As part of the 2010–13 Southern United States drought, the lake water levels dropped below 5% capacity.<ref>{{cite web| publisher= Water Data for Texas| url= http://waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/medina| title= Medina Lake| accessdate= May 25, 2015}}</ref> Many cracks, oil drums and a Jeep were visible as a result of low water.<ref>{{cite news| newspaper= San Antonio Express News| url= http://waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/medina| title= Rainfall barely can slow decline of Medina Lake| accessdate= January 4, 2014}}</ref> Only one public boat ramp remained, located at Red Cove in Mico.<ref>{{cite web| publisher= Bandera Bulletin| url= http://www.banderabulletin.com/news/article_b59efe0e-be2e-11e2-a1f1-0019bb2963f4.html| title= Medina Lake nears 1968 record low| accessdate= January 4, 2014| archive-date= March 5, 2015| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150305030134/http://www.banderabulletin.com/news/article_b59efe0e-be2e-11e2-a1f1-0019bb2963f4.html| url-status= dead}}</ref> A few showers in the Summer of 2013 helped the lake rise to 5.2%, but the dam was reopened in September as many people in the South Side of San Antonio use the lake for a water source. Many businesses have closed in the area, many residents have left and Lakehills has become somewhat of a ghost town.<ref>{{cite news| newspaper= San Antonio Express News| url= http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Residents-on-edge-as-Medina-Lake-evaporates-4170463.php| title= Residents on edge as Medina Lake evaporates| accessdate= January 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| publisher= Kens 5 San Antonio| url= http://www.kens5.com/news/Medina-is-drying-up-as-SAWS-buys-its-water-185951191.html| title= Lakehills 'a ghost town': Is Medina Lake fish kill imminent| accessdate= January 4, 2014| archive-date= January 4, 2014| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140104204151/http://www.kens5.com/news/Medina-is-drying-up-as-SAWS-buys-its-water-185951191.html| url-status= dead}}</ref>

Heavy rainfall in the region as of May 2015 brought the levels above 46% capacity. At that time, Medina Lake was about 28 feet low, down from 90 feet low mere months before.<ref>{{cite web| publisher= Water Data for Texas| url= http://waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/medina| title= Medina Lake| accessdate= May 25, 2015}}</ref> Due to heavy rains on the Medina River basin and the lake itself in May 2016, Medina Lake was 100% full and 1.5 feet above its conservation pool as of June 1, 2016.<ref>{{cite web| publisher= Water Data for Texas| url= http://www.waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/medina| title= Medina Lake| accessdate= June 3, 2016}}</ref> As of July 2024, the last time the lake was considered to be at full capacity was on July 7, 2019.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=San Antonio Express News |url=https://www.expressnews.com/hill-country/article/medina-lake-reservoir-drought-low-levels-18695562.php |title=Medina Lake is still shrinking. Here's why, and why it matters. |date=February 29, 2024 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Since then, the lake levels have begun to decline once again. As of July 2023, Medina Lake was the lowest it’s been since 2015, only being filled to about 5% capacity, compared to 12% capacity in 2022. This is due to constant drought and irrigation as many experts claim it may take years of rain to replenish the reservoir.<ref>{{cite web| publisher= Water Data for Texas| url= http://waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/medina| title= Medina Lake| accessdate= July 16, 2023}}</ref> Due to declining lake levels, many area farmers have to turned to using groundwater for irrigation. In June 2024, Medina Lake had dropped down to 2.4% capacity, with Lakehills and the surrounding areas suffering an economic depression as a result along with depreciated home values and a rise in homelessness.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=WOAI-TV |last=Esquivel |first=Stephanie |url=https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/medina-lake-at-historic-low-water-levels-also-causing-economic-drought-san-antonio-water-canyon-heat |title=Medina Lake at historic low water levels, also causing economic drought |date=June 13, 2024 |access-date=July 28, 2024}}</ref> In May 2025, the lake dropped to a record low 2% capacity. The July 2025 Central Texas floods brought the levels up to 5%, but as of February 2026 the levels have slowly dropped back down to 4%. <ref>{{cite web |publisher=KSAT |last=Salinas |first=Rebecca |url=https://www.ksat.com/weather/2025/06/09/drone-video-shows-medina-lake-at-near-record-low/ |title=Drone video shows Medina Lake at near record low |date=June 9, 2025 |access-date=July 6, 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

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Category:Reservoirs in Texas Category:Bodies of water of Bandera County, Texas Category:Bodies of water of Medina County, Texas