Bessie Lake
Bessie Lake in Orange County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Bessie Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Orange County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 319 other monitored lakes in Orange County, Bessie Lake ranks #210 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-02-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Bessie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bessie Lake in Orange 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 Bessie Lake
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Recreation & Access
- Lake Down Public Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Bessie Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.85 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.03 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Bessie 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 FL3170T · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #210 of 320 lakes in Orange County
Nearby Lakes in Orange County
Frequently asked questions about Bessie Lake
Where is Bessie Lake?
- Bessie Lake is a lake in Orange County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bessie Lake?
- Bessie Lake in Orange County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6 µg/L.
Is Bessie Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Bessie Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Bessie Lake?
- Bessie Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Down Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bessie Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Oligotrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples63 samples · 2020–2025
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples2 samples · 2025
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory