Alachua-Little Orange Lake
Alachua-Little Orange Lake in Alachua County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 176 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2.8 ft
- Typical in June
- 88°F
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Alachua-Little Orange Lake →
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Alachua-Little Orange Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Alachua County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2020. Compared to the 30 other monitored lakes in Alachua County, Alachua-Little Orange Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2020-08-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 176 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 176 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Alachua-Little Orange Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Alachua-Little Orange Lake in Alachua 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Alachua-Little Orange Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Alachua-Little Orange Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Alachua-Little Orange Lake typically sits around 88°F at the surface in June. Summer average is about 88°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 88°F) and coldest in Jan (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2010–2017) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Alachua-Little Orange Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Alachua-Little Orange Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Alachua-Little Orange Lake 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 FL2713D · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.11 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #22 of 31 lakes in Alachua County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Alachua-Little Orange Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Alachua County
Frequently asked questions about Alachua-Little Orange Lake
Where is Alachua-Little Orange Lake?
- Alachua-Little Orange Lake is a lake in Alachua County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Alachua-Little Orange Lake?
- Alachua-Little Orange Lake in Alachua County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 176 µg/L.
Is Alachua-Little Orange Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Alachua-Little Orange Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Alachua-Little Orange Lake?
- Alachua-Little Orange Lake typically sits around 88°F at the surface in June, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2017). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Alachua-Little Orange Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Florida
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FLORIDA LAKEWATCH
21FLKWAT_WQX6 samples · 2020
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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