Lake Seminole
Lake Seminole in Jackson County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 37500 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 88°F
- Area
- 37,500 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Lake Seminole is a 37,500-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Lake Seminole ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-10-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Lake Seminole never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 45 samples across 8 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Florida’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 30 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Lake Seminole
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Seminole in Jackson 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 Seminole
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Seminole → · more Florida lake trips
Water Temperature
Lake Seminole typically sits around 88°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 87°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 88°F) and coldest in Apr (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 177 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Seminole water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 37,500 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Seminole, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- East Bank CampgroundPublic
- Clyde Hopkins Park Public Boat RampPublic
- Gulf Power Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Seminole
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.012 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.14 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Seminole is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam (completed 1954), built primarily for navigation on the Apalachicola; gravity-type dam, 92 ft tall and 7,000 ft long.
- Surface area
- 37,500 ac
- Normal storage
- 406,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 406,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 17,200 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Mobile District
All listed purposes: Navigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID FL00435 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Seminole is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL375H · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.12 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Seminole under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Florida State Hospital WwtpChattahoochee · 2 mi away · NPDES FL0031402MajorRecent violation
- Scholz Electric Generating PlantSneads · 3.2 mi away · NPDES FL0002283MajorRecent violation
- Chattahoochee, City Of - WwtpChattahoochee · 2 mi away · NPDES FL0027669Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 6 lakes in Jackson County
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Seminole
Where is Lake Seminole?
- Lake Seminole is a lake in Jackson 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 Seminole?
- Lake Seminole in Jackson County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 37500 acres.
Is Lake Seminole safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Lake Seminole never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 45 samples across 8 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Lake Seminole has a water quality grade of B (Good). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Florida's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Seminole?
- Lake Seminole typically sits around 88°F at the surface in August, from 177 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Seminole?
- Lake Seminole has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include East Bank Campground, Clyde Hopkins Park Public Boat Ramp, Gulf Power Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Seminole across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Georgia DNR Environmental Protection Division
21GAEPD_WQX71 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory