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Paluxy River
Possum Kingdom
San Marcos River
Squaw Creek
Texohma
Toledo Bend
Travis
Twin Lakes
Tyler State Park
Valhalla
Whitney
Texas Lake Conditions
Texas Lake Maps

Date: 1-22-00
Location : Paluxy River
Max depth: 12'
Water temp: 51
Visibility: 4'
Rating: * *
Dive shop: None
Phone :
Comments:

This site is in Dinosaur Valley near Glen Rose and it is referred to it as The Blue Hole. It is on the Paluxy River and is around 75 yards long and 50 yards wide. The depth ranges is from 12 to 21 feet depending on the time of the year you are there. When we were there in Jan and found it to be 12 feet deep and a very cold 51 degrees. It was just bearable with a six mil wet suit and gloves, I dove it with out a hood but would not recommend it. What you will see here are Catfish, Turtles, perch and one large Dinosaur track close to the middle of the pool. There are lots of Dinosaur tracks near the shore where you enter the water as well as all along the river, they are marked to make them easy to find. I might point out that this is a popular swimming hole in the summer and it may be very crowded. It is also a little tuff to get down to the water for us fat boys but we need the exercise anyway. The park is open till 10:00 pm and a night dive may be a better choice then. All in all this was a fair dive and a little different than the norm.

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Date : 11-29-98
Location :Possum Kingdom
Max depth : 80'
Water temp : 62-74
Ratting : * * * *
Dive Shop : Scuba Point
Phone : 940-779-2482
Comments :

This is my favorite dive because it's not too far from home and you can be in fairly deep water right off the shore line. We dive at Scuba Point which is a popularly training site. You will see a white jug floating just off the shore, swim out to it and descend to the platform, it sets at about 20' on the edge of the first wall. This wall goes for quite a ways in both directions if you drop over the ledge the second wall goes to the bottom which is around 62' the last time I was there. The lake has been 20' or so down for some time now. Ask in the dive shop what the current level is before you dive just in case the level comes up before I can update this report. When the lake is full you can get past your 60' open water limit quick so keep an eye on that depth gauge. The second wall is almost always a great dive as the open water classes seldom go this deep.

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Date : 01-21-01
Location : San Marcos River
Max depth : 11'
Water temp : 60
Visibility : 25'
Rating : * * *
Comment :

Let me start out by saying that this is not a site you would plan your weekend around but if you find yourself near San Marcos faced with a dive at Canyon or Travis when the conditions are poor, give the little river a try.

We dove Aquarena Springs 01-20-01 while taking the Dive Link course and decided to spend another night to dive Canyon or Travis. Faced with 3' vis reports and very cold water we went looking for another dive site. What we found was the San Marcos river. The water temp was 60 and after a very short conversation my dive buddy decided to meet me on the other end (wuss). As this would be a drift dive with a slight current it seemed like a good ideal to be picked up at the exit point. I got in just down from the railroad tressel at RioVista Park and swam upstream to the tressel to begin the dive. After I got past the grass I dropped down to the bottom (6') and made my way to the tressel. This is the deepest part of the river that I found, which was 11'. There were lots of fish and structure under the tressel and looks very much like Spring Lake. I then drifted downstream under the foot bridge and on down toward the spillway. There is a lot of grass that you must maneuver around or just skim across the top. There are also openings in the grass you can go through if you do not stray to far from the channel. There are lots of fish near the spillway at the edge of the grass were it opens up into large shallow area. I finished my dive at the spillway and it looked pretty cool looking up at the water going over. I am not recommending that you try this as the current can pull you off the bottom and over the spillway. It is very shallow here (5') and you can really feel the power of the current. Remember if you dive here that it is very shallow and the spillway can sneak up on you, so surface often to see where you are at. Depending on the time of year, rain fall, etc. the current may be stronger so please be careful. I feel that this will not be diveable in the summer due to the swimmers and tubers. This time of year you will have it to yourself to look for things the swimmers and tubers have lost. The temp is not bad with a wet suit. I did it with a 3 mil shortly and did not get cold. Of course, being a FAT BOY I do not get cold very often.

Take I35 to San Marcos, get off on exit 204B to C.M. Allen Parkway, turn right on C.M. Allen Parkway next to the ball field. Go through the stop sign and then take the first road to the right just before the railroad tracks. This will take you to the spot where I got in. There is a nice parking lot there with a large covered area with picnic tables. When you drive back out and come to the stop sign turn left and you will come to the spillway where I got out of the water. There is also picnic tables here next to a drop off area and parking across the street. If you do not have a non diver in your group one person could park the vehicle here and make a short hike back to the entrance point. Dive Safe.

Tressell___Foot Bridge___ Spillway___ looking up River

Date : 2-7-99
Location : Squaw Creek
Max depth : 80'
Water temp : 100 summer 70 winter
Visibility : 1' to 5'
Rating : *
Dive Shop: Burleson Scuba
Phone: 817-447-DIVE
Comment :

I wish I could give a better report on this site as I live just a few miles from it. I have heard that before the power plant started up that this lake was a fun dive with visibility up to 25'. I cannot report this because the best I have seen was 3' after diving there on three different occasions. I talked with a fisherman that had been coming there since it opened and he said that water from lake Granbury is let into Squaw Creek at times to keep it full due to it being used to cool the reactors at the power plant. I can tell you that the water from Granbury looks like pee soup because I live on lake Granbury. I have seen open water class being held at Squaw Creek and for new divers about to do there open water there, I can tell you most anywhere that you dive after this will you see conditions this poor again. If you have a different opinion than this send me a report and I will post it. If you are still reading you must be as desperate to dive as the FAT BOY is so click on more reports and read on.

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Date:
Location :Texohma
Max depth:
Water temp:
Visibility:
Rating :
Dive shop:
Phone:
Comment

Thanks to Terry Moore for this report.

Take Hwy 75 North from Dallas. Turn left before you cross the dam.

At lake texohma near sherman denison tx ESinhower state park. there is a swim beach. drop your gear at the start of the trail and park. wear bc and tank and weights for the trip down the hill. the cove is protected from boats but I still work with a flag. the viz in the summer can be 10 feet. the depth is about 25 in the flats and quickly drops more than 70. Its cold and dark down there. Things to see catfish and other fish. Lots of old stumps and huge rocks. Rest before you walk back up the hill, its a killer. I like this spot it is the closest to North Dallas and you can make two dives and still make it back to dallas before dark.

Date: 9-5-99
Location : Toledo Bend
Max depth: 90'
Water temp: 80
Visibility: 2'
Rating : * *
Dive shop: Dive Toledo
Phone: 318-286-9363
Comment :

Most of the diving takes place at the dam. On the Louisiana side of the dam you will find easy access to the water with good parking. This is a shallow dive 30' or less with a little of every thing to see (boats, a motor bike a paper machine and dive platforms and more. All are connected by ropes so they are easy to find and some have floats attached so you can decend to them. When we were there the vis was poor due to rain and the lake was low. The dive shop is well equipped and they are open Sunday, nice folks. On the Texas side you will find the old coffer dam which was out of the water and I am told is a good dive when the lake is full. It is a long swim to the dive site (500 yds) but I am told it is a nice wall dive when the lake is full and there is 90' of water near shore for you advanced divers. We did not get to make this dive as a storm was blowing in as we finished the first dive on the Louisiana side. We spent to much time at the casino in Bossier, I could have bought a lot of dive gear with the money left there. There are some other dive sites but you will need a boat to get to them and they can be rented, ask at the dive shop and they will tell you where.

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Date : 10-17-98
Location :Travis
Max depth : 100'+
Visibility : 8-20'
Rating : * * *
Dive shop : Aquatic Adventures
Phone : 512-219-1220
Comment :

I took the first part of my advanced training here (Windy Point)The weather was bad and there was flooding in the area. There were boats and cars to look at lots of fish and deep water (100'+) The visibility was not that good due to the flooding and lack of sun. We did a night dive and it was a lot better then. The parking area is a problem when it rains (mud) and it is a long walk to the entry point. They do have buggies to transport your gear to the water and camping is allowed.

We went back to Lake Travis June 6, 1999 and dove at Mansfield Dam. We got there early and were one of the first divers in the water. The visilibity was very good at twenty feet plus, lots of fish, boats, a training platform, a barge and a nice wall. The therocline was a little cool as I only wore a shorty which we found to be at 38'. We dove to eighty feet just to see what was there (not much) most every thing was in less that fifty feet. A lot of divers showed up at nine and were all frindly and eager to tell you about their dive site. This is one of the better dive sites in Texas in my opinion and we will go back. The dive shop listed above is open seven days a week and has lots of goodies and a indoor pool for training on site. Photo one is looking at the dive site from the Mansfield Dam. Photo two is from the top of the dam looking over the back side. We DID NOT dive there.

Thanks to Dana Connor for this report on Twin Lakes.

Hi Tim

Yes I did go and dive at twin lake dive park/RV trash. Well basically a web site is all it is, next to nothing on the web page is true. The park (I use that term loosely) has no air fills, no camping, next to no staff, just one surly mouth woman, nothing. As far as the dive went, I am sure the vis is a lot better at times. On that day vis was 8 to 12 feet thermo cline at 15 feet surface temp 62 - 50 @ 16 feet, not a bunch to look at.

The only good thing I can say about the park is that the local divers that where there on that day are some of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. They (the Divers) have done all of the few amenities that the park has. One port-o-potty two or three picnic tables and some very ingenious tank benches. All in all its a good place to train. There are two platforms or a place to practice skills or test new equipment but mostly a great place to meet truly nice dedicated divers.

Twin Lake has a lot of potential, just needs lots of cleaning up. Diving is clearly not the ownerships first priority.

Thanks to Davida Hinton for this follow up report on Twin Lakes.

I met Dana on his brief visit to Twin Lakes. And while he's a nice guy, his report isn't exactly accurate. There are air fills at the lake, the owner has trained others to handle the fills when he is out of town. There are 3 training platforms, each suspended at 20ft., as well as a couple of old wooden platforms that were built when the park was just starting. There are over a dozen picnic tables, two shelters, and about a half dozen gear benches.

As for things to look at, I guess it depends on who's looking. The fish populations of several species of Perch, Largemouth Bass, catfish and turtles provide entertainment during the dive. There are also a couple of boats that have been sunk, although they are far from wreck descriptions!

I guess what I'm saying is Twin Lakes isn't as bleak as Dana makes it sound. For those who are traveling several hundred miles hunting for new sites, I suppose they wouldn't be impressed.... Just as you couldn't pay me enough to go back to Canyon Lake. But for those in the Houston area looking for a local place to stay wet, Twin Lakes is far and above Blue Lagoon, which is the next chosen place for local diving.

Thanks for listening.

Davida Hinton
Twin Lakes Regular

Date : 08/03/2001
Location :Tyler State Park
Max depth : 40'?
Visibility : 5'-15'
Rating :
Dive shop : Scuba Center
Phone : 903-595-2703
Comment :

Thanks to Steve Mullins for this report on Tyler State Park.

This is an excellent place to take in some Texas freshwater diving. The park and the lake are beautiful, and consequently this is a great place for camping and picnicking as well. Try your best to avoid holiday visits...

The Diving

This diving site is a true spring fed lake with visibility ranging from 5-15 feet (rain dramatically effects the visibility here, generally the best diving conditions are in the fall months), typical Texas surface temperatures, and cold thermocline at 20/25 feet. I'm not sure about max depth of this lake, although I've heard of divers reaching 45 feet. Entry is mainly accomplished using the shoreline unless you want to try the canoe and paddle boat pier during un-crowded times.

What is there to see

Expect to see bass, crappie, catfish, perch, and turtles which are not accustomed to divers. Vegetation blankets the bottom 3 feet of the lake so try not to drop anything! The visitors and swimmers alike usually take an interest in your diving activity so expect some unusual and humorous questions. Be careful where you surface because most people do ignore your dive flag, almost had my head taken off by someone canoeing (she was frightened when a large moving object surfaced near her canoe!)

Amenities

Expect a state park environment with camping, restrooms, changing and shower facilities. There is also canoe and paddle boat rentals for a nominal fee, beginner and advanced mountain bike trails, and nature trails.

Have Fun and Dive Safe

Steve Mullins
steve2001cls@yahoo.com

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Date: 02-19-2000
Location : Valhalla
Max depth: 130'
Water temp: 60
Visibility: 40'
Rating : * * *
Dive shop: Family Dive Center
Phone: 915-686-7333
Comment:

This was once a Atlas Missile Silo that has filled with ground water over the past thirty years. The water is cool and clear and makes for a neat dive. You should be an advanced diver with over 100 dives before you do this dive. True, it is a controlled environment but you can get your self into real trouble at this depth not to mention the lack of sunlight and the altitude. This is not the place to test new gear as you need to dive with gear that is tried and true and you are very familiar with. We went with Southern Scuba out of Fort Worth. If you would like to go send them an e-mail and ask when there next trip is or you may contact Family Scuba and they put you in touch with a shop that is putting a trip together. The cost is $35.00 per diver which I might add that it's worth that just to see the place. You will need release forms to dive the site and you can find them at the bottom of this report. Copy and fill them out and take them with you to save some time at the site. How many people have ever been in a Missile Silo much less dove in one. There is a little work involved like carrying your gear down several flights of stairs but if this forty seven year old fat boy can do it so can you. Leave the kids at home as this place is not safe for kids. Watch your step as there is one set of stairs that does not have hand rails that can get slick after a dive. You must climb down a thirty foot ladder to get to the dive platform and they will hook you up to a climbing harness if you would like. They will then lower your gear by wench and also retrieve it after the dive. Once in the water drop down to thirty five to forty feet and check out the control room and just get used to the surrounding before you desend to the bottom at around 130' stay of the metal debris on the bottom as there are some jagged edges that you can get cut on. Watch your time and your air and be sure to stay with your buddy and be familiar with his/her equipment and them with yours. Also have a plan that your buddy is familiar with in case of equipment failure as I did. This depth and water temp is no place for cheep gear as I was using a bottom of the line U. S. Diver regulator that failed. Read REGULATOR FAILURE AT 110' for the whole story. Over all this was a neat dive site that is a must do.

Date: 10-25-98
Location : Whitney
Max depth: 71'
Water temp: 69
Visibility: 3'
Rating : * *
Dive shop: Divers Isle
Phone: 254-582-0692
Comment

This is where I took the second part of my advanced training. We dove to a platform at a depth of 71' It was dark and cold visibility was 2' at best, not fun. We demonstrated some skills to fulfill our deep dive and came up for a surface interval and planned our multilevel dive. This part of the training was a bit more enjoyable once we got up to around 30'. The visibility got a lot better maybe 10' or so as we dove along a wall. There is a car or two and a graveyard which I did not get the chance to see due to this being a advanced training dive and we were a little to deep to see any of this. We went back to scuba Park 10-31-99 and found Scuba Park to be closed. The water temp was 62 and the visibility was two feet at best. There is a new Dive Shop in Hillsboro called Divers Isle. The number is listed above.
I dove the overhangs at Soldiers Bluff June 6, 1999. The visibility was poor (three feet) and you must contend with the fisherman. Be sure to use a dive flag and stay close to it. My dive buddy became tangled in fishing line and got the hook stuck in her fin. I think you will be safe if you venture from your flag as long as you stay under the overhang. It was a fair dive but there are a lot better places to dive in my opinion. If you have a better report on this lake send it to me and I will post it.

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Texas Lake Conditions

Texas Lake Maps