Area
Lake Conroe: Homes, Lake Rules and Communities
Bentwater, April Sound, Walden and the other communities on Lake Conroe in Montgomery County: who runs the lake, how levels are managed, and what a waterfront buyer should check.
Neighborhood fact sheet
Lake Conroe Fact Sheet
The key facts on one sheet. Every figure links to its source, and each card shows the date it was last checked (sheet updated Oct 28, 2026).
Check the address. Property taxes, flood zone, HOA dues and school assignments are set for each address and can differ between homes in the same neighborhood. Before relying on anything on this sheet, look the address up in the official tools linked here.
Homes
We have not published HAR neighborhood statistics for Lake Conroe yet, because HAR does not show one neighborhood record that matches this page. Ask us for a recent-sales report for the streets you are considering.
Property taxes
We have not confirmed an official rate list for Lake Conroe. Every address has its own set of taxing units; the appraisal district account lists them.
HOA dues
Associations and deed restrictions differ by subdivision here. Ask the seller for the resale certificate and the recorded restrictions for the specific address.
Schools
- Willis ISD Attendance zone maps (PDF)
- Montgomery ISD Zoning maps (ES/JH/HS)
- Conroe ISD Find My School (by address)
School assignments and attendance boundaries can change. Confirm the assigned schools directly with the district before making a housing decision.
Flood research
Flood zones are mapped parcel by parcel, and no guide can tell you whether a particular house has flooded or will flood. Ask the seller for the flood disclosure and any elevation certificate.
Nearby essentials
Hospitals with an emergency room
Shopping
- The Woodlands Mall 15 mi
Parks and nature
- Northshore Park 14 mi
- Town Green Park 15 mi
Straight-line distance from the approximate center of Lake Conroe, not driving distance or time. Each name links to its official site. A list is not a recommendation or a ranking.
See Lake Conroe on the area map
Checked Oct 28, 2026
Overview
About Lake Conroe
Lake Conroe is a water-supply reservoir run by the San Jacinto River Authority, not a recreation lake with a fixed shoreline level. That shapes ownership of waterfront homes here: docks and bulkheads need SJRA licenses, and lake levels follow SJRA’s operating rules rather than a promise to homeowners.
The shoreline communities sit mostly in Montgomery County, with the north end reaching into the Sam Houston National Forest. The nearby city guides cover the City of Willis and Willis ISD, the City of Montgomery and Montgomery ISD, and the City of Conroe and Conroe ISD; school assignment depends on the address. The communities each have their own property owners association and, in several, a private golf club that is separate from the association.
Lake levels and waterfront homes
SJRA posts current lake conditions on its Contrail dashboard, and the U.S. Geological Survey runs the Lk Conroe nr Conroe gauge (08067600) with daily records back to 1973. Before buying on the water, compare the lot and dock elevations with SJRA’s normal pool and flowage easement levels, ask the seller for the dock license, and read the FEMA flood zone for the address.
- USGS gauge 08067600, Lk Conroe nr Conroe, TX, operated in cooperation with SJRA. U.S. Geological Survey: Lk Conroe nr Conroe
Communities
Lake Conroe communities and nearby cities
The lake communities and the cities around the lake that have their own guides on this site.
- Bentwater Neighborhood GuideBentwater is a gated golf and waterfront community on the western shore of Lake Conroe in northwest Montgomery County, with its main entrance on FM 1097 west of Willis. H…
- April Sound Neighborhood GuideApril Sound is a gated lake and golf community on the southern shore of Lake Conroe, started in the 1970s, with Montgomery 77356 addresses. It is built around the private…
- MontgomeryLake Conroe and the Texas hill-and-pine country.
- WillisNorth of Conroe, on the east shore of the lake.
- ConroeThe county seat, with Lake Conroe next door.
Neighborhood FAQ
Lake Conroe: common questions
5 direct answers about Lake Conroe, researched by Michael O’Neal’s team from official and public sources. Each answer lists its sources and the date we checked them; facts that change (fees, tax rates, school zones) should be confirmed for the specific address.
Do the Lake Conroe communities of Bentwater and April Sound have property owners associations and golf?
Bentwater, in Montgomery along about 12.5 miles of Lake Conroe shoreline, has the Bentwater Property Owners Association, formed in 1987 under its Declaration, and a club with three golf courses (54 holes). April Sound has the April Sound POA, which posts deed restrictions in its online Document Center and tells buyers to request a resale certificate, and a club with 27 holes. Golf and club membership are separate from the POA in both communities. Confirm the governing documents and assessments for an address with the POA and in the resale certificate.
Sources: Bentwater Property Owners Association: Home · Bentwater: Home · April Sound POA: Home · April Sound Country Club: Home Checked Nov 4, 2026
What should I know about living near Lake Conroe?
Lake Conroe is a water supply reservoir built by the San Jacinto River Authority and the City of Houston as a joint venture; construction began in 1969, the dam was finished in January 1973, and in 2009 SJRA agreed to buy the right to use the City's two-thirds share of the lake's water. The dam is near Conroe, the watershed is mainly in northern Montgomery County and southern Walker County, and about 5,000 acres of the lake are in the Sam Houston National Forest. SJRA licenses private docks and bulkheads and states it does not guarantee a particular lake level. Check a property's shoreline structures and permits with SJRA's Lake Conroe Division.
Sources: San Jacinto River Authority: History · San Jacinto River Authority: Lake Conroe Watershed Protection Plan · San Jacinto River Authority: Licensing My Residential Structure Checked Nov 4, 2026
How do SJRA dam releases and lake-level rules affect Lake Conroe homes?
Lake Conroe's normal pool is 201 feet above mean sea level; SJRA lists the flowage easement limit at 207 feet and the top of the dam at 212 feet, and reported a peak release of about 79,000 cubic feet per second during Harvey (2017). In April 2024 the SJRA Board approved Active Storm Management Protocols, which replaced seasonal lake lowering: from April 1 to June 1 the City of Houston may request diversions to lower the lake to 200.5 feet, and possibly 200.0 feet if a major storm is forecast. Lower water can affect boat access at shallow docks. Check current levels on SJRA's Contrail dashboard and confirm the current protocol with SJRA.
Sources: San Jacinto River Authority: Latest News, April 2024 · San Jacinto River Authority: FAQs Related to Harvey and Lake Conroe Dam Checked Nov 4, 2026
Who manages Lake Conroe, and where can I check the lake level?
The San Jacinto River Authority's Lake Conroe Division operates and maintains the Lake Conroe dam, reservoir and spillway. SJRA posts lake conditions and rainfall on its Contrail dashboard, and the U.S. Geological Survey runs a gauge, Lk Conroe nr Conroe, TX (USGS-08067600), in cooperation with SJRA, with daily data back to 1973. Check the current level on SJRA's Contrail dashboard or the USGS gauge page before planning a dock or boat project.
Sources: San Jacinto River Authority: Divisions of SJRA, Lake Conroe Division · San Jacinto River Authority: Lake Conroe Division · USGS: Lk Conroe nr Conroe, TX (08067600) Checked Nov 4, 2026
Do I need a permit to build a dock or bulkhead on Lake Conroe?
Yes. SJRA rules say no one may build, operate or maintain a private structure or private bulkhead on Lake Conroe without an SJRA license or permit, and owning waterfront property does not grant that right. Applications go through the SJRA Customer Portal with scaled plans or a licensed survey, HOA or POA approval where the subdivision requires it, and construction may not start until SJRA approves and issues a construction permit; SJRA charges an annual fee per structure based on size and location. Ask SJRA's Lake Conroe Operations Department whether the existing structures on a property are licensed before you buy.
Sources: San Jacinto River Authority: Licensing My Residential Structure · San Jacinto River Authority: Permit My Bulkhead Construction · San Jacinto River Authority: Licensing and Permitting Checked Nov 4, 2026
Talk with Michael
Buying on Lake Conroe?
Michael can help you check a waterfront address before you write an offer: the SJRA dock license, the lot and dock elevations, the flood zone and the association documents.
Michael O’Neal is a licensed Texas real estate broker (TREC #624124) with The Michael O’Neal Group at Keller Williams Realty Northeast. Confirm address-specific facts (taxes, flood zone, schools, association rules) with the official source.