Alachua-Orange Lake
Alachua-Orange Lake in Alachua County, Florida has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
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Alachua-Orange Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Alachua County, Florida. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 30 other monitored lakes in Alachua County, Alachua-Orange Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-05-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 53 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 64.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 53 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Alachua-Orange Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Alachua-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.
Top-rated places to stay near Alachua-Orange Lake
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Fishing Alachua-Orange Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.02 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.81 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Alachua-Orange Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL2749A · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.22 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 31 lakes in Alachua County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Alachua-Orange Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Alachua County
Frequently asked questions about Alachua-Orange Lake
Where is Alachua-Orange Lake?
- Alachua-Orange Lake is a lake in Alachua County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Alachua-Orange Lake?
- Alachua-Orange Lake in Alachua County, Florida has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L.
Is Alachua-Orange Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Alachua-Orange Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Explore Alachua-Orange Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Florida
Eutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
193 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FLORIDA LAKEWATCH
21FLKWAT_WQX193 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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