Palo Duro Reservoir makes Panhandle rain visible

Palo Duro Reservoir lies north of Spearman on Palo Duro Creek, a tributary of the North Canadian River. At conservation pool, its footprint is 2,413 acres. The dam began impounding water in 1991.

That full-pool number is not a promise. The reservoir was completely dry in April 2023, and its sportfish populations were lost. Rain raised the water later that spring, but future levels remained uncertain. On August 2, 2026, the reservoir stood at 0.4 percent of conservation capacity, holding 224 acre-feet.

Drought and low water can affect fishing and boat-ramp access, so the current reservoir reading matters before a trip. The shoreline is not a fixed edge on the High Plains. It is a moving record of what Palo Duro Creek and recent rain have managed to hold.