Lake Ray Roberts
A roughly 29,000-acre Army Corps reservoir just north of Denton -- three state park units, a genuinely elite bass fishery, and dock rules that are far more restrictive than most buyers expect from a lake this size.
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Lake Ray Roberts was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, roughly 10 miles north of Denton between the towns of Sanger and Pilot Point. The dam was completed in 1987, the conservation pool filled by March 1990, and motorized boating opened on January 1, 1990. It was originally planned as "Aubrey Reservoir" before being renamed for former U.S. Representative Herbert Ray Roberts.
The lake covers roughly 29,000 acres at conservation pool, touching Denton, Cooke, and Grayson counties. Its authorized purposes run in priority order: flood risk management first, water supply second, then fish and wildlife, then recreation. Water is supplied under contract primarily to the cities of Dallas and Denton, drawn and treated by the Upper Trinity Regional Water District.
Unlike a river-authority-governed Texas lake, USACE's Fort Worth District directly regulates shoreline construction here, jointly with neighboring Lake Lewisville. A special state-authorized Lake Ray Roberts Land Use District also gives the three surrounding counties zoning authority within 5,000 feet of the lake's take line.
What Buyers Need to Know First
The single most important fact for buyers: new private dock and boathouse construction is effectively closed on government fee land around most of the lake. Only on flowage-easement land below 645.5 feet elevation can an owner even apply, and existing dock permits typically transfer to a new owner for a modest renewal fee rather than opening up new construction rights.
The second piece: this is genuinely elite bass water. The lake has produced six Legacy-class ShareLunkers and hosted the 2025 Bassmaster Classic, a real national spotlight most DFW-area lakes don't get.
The third piece: this is real tornado country. An EF-3 tornado tracked roughly 47 miles on May 25, 2024, passing directly over the lake and scoring a direct hit on Lake Ray Roberts Marina, with seven deaths in nearby Cooke County. Insurance and severe-weather planning deserve honest attention here.
Everything We Cover on Lake Ray Roberts
Independent research across every topic Lake Ray Roberts buyers ask about -- Denton County tax math, USACE's genuinely restrictive dock rules, and which nearby small town actually fits you.
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