Normal elevation of the conservation pool varies from 615 to 619 ft (187 to 189 m) National Geodetic Vertical Datum depending on the time of year.

Due to this phenomenon, striped bass, a saltwater fish species, thrives in Lake Texoma.

Other towns and cities near the lake in Bryan County, Oklahoma, include Cartwright, Colbert, Calera, Platter, and Mead.

Lake Texoma has grown in importance over the decades from primarily relief from annual flooding and destruction to an employment engine for the area, and finally a recreation mecca for the nation.

Sam Rayburn joined the dream team in the early 1930s and was instrumental in the legislative process of making the great lake a reality.

Only non-war related work could be performed by POWs according to the Geneva Convention – such as clearing trees for the proposed lake and light construction.

Construction projects performed by the prisoners included mortared stone lining of the drainage ditches around the damsite, which are still present today.

The lake attracted worldwide media attention in June 2015 when water was drained following a flood, causing a vortex with 2.5-m-wide hole to form.

[12] Lake Texoma's popularity is largely attributed to its sheer size and proximity to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Power boating, sailing, personal watercraft, water skiing, and wind surfing are all popular.

[14] Former professional funny car race driver "Flash" Gordon Mineo organized many "poker run" events on Lake Texoma.

Gordon and his wife, Ann Mineo, along with three others, died September 2, 2006, in a boating accident on Lake Texoma.

Among these are Eisenhower State Park, named for President Dwight Eisenhower, who was born in nearby Denison; Camp All Saints owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas; and James Ray Scout Reservation, owned by the Circle Ten Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

[17] Recently, several large transfers of public land to private developers have been authorized by the federal government.

The park was home to numerous state- and concession-operated facilities and activities, including a resort lodge with 106 guest rooms and suites.

Initially, the State of Oklahoma Commissioners of the Land Office purchased only 558 acres (2.26 km2) from USACE in March 2007.

The new development will cost an estimated $360 million, which will also include housing, as well as a full-service hotel with restaurants, gym, business center, multiple swimming pools, spa, and meeting rooms.

[18] Section 3182(j) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, authorized USACE to convey approximately 900 acres (3.6 km2) of land at Lake Texoma to the city of Denison, Texas.

The city and Mr. Schuler attempted to lease the same land from the Corps of Engineers in 2004, but abandoned those attempts in favor of legislation mandating the transfer, due to the inability to use the land for the intended purposes under a lease without an update of the Corps Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) for Lake Texoma.

The majority of the land is currently zoned as Limited Development, Protected Area (suitable for nature hiking, birdwatching, etc.)

The Corps has previously stated that any revision of the SMP will require the completion of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the entire Lake Texoma project that will consider the cumulative impacts of the extensive development that has occurred around the Lake since the original EIS was conducted in the 1970s.