Carter Rd X Pit Lake
Polk County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Carter Rd X Pit Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
Carter Rd X Pit Lake in Polk County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 571.5 µg/L.
Carter Rd X Pit Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Polk County, Florida. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 176 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Carter Rd X Pit Lake ranks #165 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-09-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Carter Rd X Pit Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Carter Rd X Pit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Carter Rd X Pit 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 Carter Rd X Pit Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Carter Rd X Pit Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 571.5 µg/L. TSI 78.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 572µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 78 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Carter Rd X Pit Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Carter Rd X Pit Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in Jan (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (85°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 58 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Carter Rd X Pit Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Loyce E. Harpe Park Primitive Boat Launch - Big MeadowPublic
- Loyce E. Harpe Park Primitive Boat LaunchPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Carter Rd X Pit Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Carter Rd X Pit 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Carter Rd X Pit Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Carter Rd X Pit Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Fishing Carter Rd X Pit Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-9.73 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Carter Rd X Pit Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1610 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Carter Rd X Pit Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Mosaic Fertilizer, Llc - Bartow Chemical PlantBartow · 3.1 mi away · NPDES FL0001589MajorRecent violation
- Mosaic Fertilizer Llc - Bartow North Stack ClosureBartow · 3.1 mi away · NPDES FL0267911Major
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 Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Carter Rd X Pit Lake
Where is Carter Rd X Pit Lake?
- Carter Rd X Pit Lake is a lake in Polk County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Carter Rd X Pit Lake?
- Carter Rd X Pit Lake in Polk County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 571.5 µg/L.
Is Carter Rd X Pit Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Carter Rd X Pit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Carter Rd X Pit Lake?
- Carter Rd X Pit Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in October, from 58 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 Carter Rd X Pit Lake?
- Carter Rd X Pit Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Loyce E. Harpe Park Primitive Boat Launch - Big Meadow, Loyce E. Harpe Park Primitive Boat Launch. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Carter Rd X Pit Lake?
- Carter Rd X Pit Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.
Explore Carter Rd X Pit Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
46 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 samples46 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
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