Lake Francis
Lake Francis in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Surface area: 3662 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 87°F
- Area
- 3,662 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Lake Francis is a 3,662-acre mesotrophic lake in Highlands County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 72 other monitored lakes in Highlands County, Lake Francis ranks #20 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2024-10-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Lake Francis
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Francis in Highlands County, Florida — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Francis
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Water Temperature
Lake Francis typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 87°F) and coldest in Jan (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 86 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Francis water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 3,662 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Francis, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Francis Public Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Francis
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.1 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.4 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Francis is a man-made reservoir impounded by the G-90 (completed 1962), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Jack Creek; concrete-type dam, 15 ft tall and 21.67 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,662 ac
- Normal storage
- 33,324 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 44,676 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 44 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- SWFWMD
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID FL00440 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.42 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Francis is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1938G · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #20 of 73 lakes in Highlands County
Nearby Lakes in Highlands County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Francis
Where is Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis is a lake in Highlands County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Surface area: 3662 acres.
Is Lake Francis safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Lake Francis has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August, from 86 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Francis Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Francis across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Mesotrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples30 samples · 2020–2022
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples22 samples · 2023–2024
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory