Cherry Lake
Madison County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Cherry Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Cherry Lake in Madison County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L.
Cherry Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Madison County, Florida. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Madison County, Cherry Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-07-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Cherry Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
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. Cherry Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cherry 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 Cherry Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Cherry Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 18 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18µg/L | Good 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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Cherry Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Cherry Lake typically sits around 90°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 89°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 90°F) and coldest in Mar (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (90°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cherry Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cherry Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cherry Lake in Madison 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 Cherry Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Cherry Lake → · more Florida lake trips
Follow Cherry Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Cherry Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.63 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Cherry 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, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL3322A · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Madison County
Frequently asked questions about Cherry Lake
Where is Cherry Lake?
- Cherry Lake is a lake in Madison County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cherry Lake?
- Cherry Lake in Madison County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L.
Is Cherry Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cherry Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cherry Lake?
- Cherry Lake typically sits around 90°F at the surface in July, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Cherry Lake?
- Public access to Cherry 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.
Explore Cherry Lake across LakeQuality
12.2 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Florida's top lakes, each with its readings
Florida's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Florida
Other Lakes in Florida
Mesotrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples16 samples · 2024–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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