Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake in Bay County, Florida is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 87°F
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by FDEP and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
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 with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-08-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake in Bay 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 Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
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Water Temperature
Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Recreation & Access
- Bob George Park Public Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.554 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Bay-Watson-Bayou 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 FL1161 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.41 km)
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.
Graded lakes near Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake
Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
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. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake?
- Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake in Bay County, Florida is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility.
Is Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake?
- Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August, from 321 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake?
- Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bob George Park Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bay-Watson-Bayou Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory