Buffum Shore Lake
Buffum Shore Lake in Polk County, Florida is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Buffum Shore 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 Buffum Shore Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
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.
Buffum Shore Lake is a lake in Polk County, Florida. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2020-01-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Buffum Shore Lake water quality
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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 Buffum Shore Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Where to stay near Buffum Shore Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Buffum Shore Lake in Polk 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 Buffum Shore Lake
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Recreation & Access
- Lake Buffum Public Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Buffum Shore Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Buffum Shore 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 FL1677C · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.01 km)
Graded lakes near Buffum Shore Lake
Buffum Shore Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Buffum Shore Lake
Where is Buffum Shore Lake?
- Buffum Shore Lake is a lake in Polk County, Florida. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Buffum Shore Lake?
- Buffum Shore Lake in Polk County, Florida is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
Is Buffum Shore Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Buffum Shore Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Buffum Shore Lake?
- Buffum Shore Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Buffum Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Buffum Shore Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples1 sample · 2020
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory