Sarasota County Lake Quality
Florida, 23 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Sarasota County's 23 graded lakes fall in the moderate-density bracket for Florida. The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. The county average is C — the middle of the rubric, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Sarasota-Bobcat Lake (B) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Sarasota County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Sarasota-Bobcat Lake — or check the official Florida fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Sarasota County
23 lakes · 21 graded, 2 not rated21 graded lakes · 2 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BSarasota-Bobcat LakeSarasota | B | 3.8 ft | 33 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 2 | BSarasota-Awesome LakeSarasota | B | 3.8 ft | 36 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 3 | BSarasota-South LakeSarasota | B | 6.5 ft | 25 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 4 | BSarasota-Sundrop LakeSarasota | B | 3.3 ft | 34 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 5 | BSarasota-North LakeSarasota | B | 3 ft | 22 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 6 | CSarasota-LakeSarasota | C | 2.5 ft | 58 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 7 | CSarasota-Center LakeSarasota | C | 7.5 ft | 47 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 8 | DSarasota-Lake-GSarasota | D | 3.8 ft | 77.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 9 | DSarasota-Heron Lagoon LakeSarasota | D | 3.5 ft | 74.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 10 | DSarasota-Cormorant LakeSarasota | D | 2.4 ft | 164.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 11 | DSarasota-Uplands LakeSarasota | D | 0.8 ft | 330 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 12 | DSarasota-Lake-MSarasota | D | 2.5 ft | 136 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 13 | DSarasota-Upper Myakka LakeSarasota | D | 2 ft | 387 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 14 | DSarasota-Egret LakeSarasota | D | 4.2 ft | 240.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 15 | DSarasota-Heron LakeSarasota | D | 2.5 ft | 65 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 16 | DSarasota-Vaas LakeSarasota | D | 1.7 ft | 402.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 17 | DSarasota-Pinebrook South LakeSarasota | D | 2 ft | 62 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 18 | DSarasota-Moondrop LakeSarasota | D | 2.8 ft | 77 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 19 | DSarasota-Lower Myakka LakeSarasota | D | 2.2 ft | 275 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 20 | DVenice Gardens LakeSarasota | D | 1 ft | 177 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 21 | DRed Bug Slough LakeSarasota | D | No recent samples | 141 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRSarasota-Spoonbill LakeSarasota | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLake SarasotaSarasota | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
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
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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 Sarasota 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.