Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
Bay County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Public access
- Limited data
Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake in Bay County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility.
Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake is a lake in Bay County, Florida. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-08-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 87°F) and coldest in Jan (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (87°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 321 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake water temperature breakdown →
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Stays near Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
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Fishing Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 3 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Millville Awt FacilityPanama City · 1.1 mi away · NPDES FL0170909MajorRecent violation
- Military Point Regional Awt FacilityPanama City · 1.5 mi away · NPDES FL0167959MajorRecent violation
- Hollingshead Materials - Tafb LagoonPanama City · 1.5 mi away · NPDES FL0002631MajorRecent 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.
Nearby Lakes in Bay County
Frequently asked questions about Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
Where is Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake?
- Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake is a lake in Bay County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake?
- Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake in Bay County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility.
Is Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake?
- Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in October, from 321 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake?
- Public access to Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Florida's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
128 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples128 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)