Manatee County Lake Quality
Florida, 5 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
Manatee County has 5 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. The county-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 0 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Manatee-Ward Lake (D); the most-stressed is Manatee-Ward Lake (D).
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Quick Answers for Manatee County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Manatee-Ward Lake — or check the official Florida fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Manatee County
5 lakes · 1 graded, 4 not rated1 graded lake · 4 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DManatee-Ward LakeManatee | D | 3.3 ft | 155 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRManatee-Tojo LakeManatee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRLake ManateeManatee | NR | 3.3 ft | 330 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRLake UihleinManatee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRWard LakeManatee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
Lake Match
Which lake suits how you actually use one?
Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.
Other Counties in Florida
See how Manatee County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.