Dead Lake
Flagler County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Dead Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Dead Lake in Flagler County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 240 µg/L.
Dead Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Flagler County, Florida. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Flagler County, Dead Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-08-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Dead Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Dead Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Dead 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 Dead Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Dead 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 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 240 µg/L. TSI 77.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 240µg/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. | 77 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Dead Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Dead Lake typically sits around 88°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 87°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 88°F) and coldest in Jul (about 85°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (85°F) to its warmest (88°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dead Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Haw Creek Preserve - Russell Landing Public Boat RampPublic
- Bull Creek Campround & Public Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Dead Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Dead Lake in Flagler 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 Dead Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Dead Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Dead Lake → · more Florida lake trips
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Fishing Dead Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Stable2 years
Phosphorus
Stable+2 µg/L/yr2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Dead Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL2615A · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Flagler County
Frequently asked questions about Dead Lake
Where is Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake is a lake in Flagler County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake in Flagler County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 240 µg/L.
Is Dead Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Dead Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake typically sits around 88°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Haw Creek Preserve - Russell Landing Public Boat Ramp, Bull Creek Campround & Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Dead Lake?
- Dead 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 Dead Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Fort Matanzas?
Dead Lake is about 24 miles from Fort Matanzas National Monument. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Fort Matanzas →More lakes in Florida
Other Lakes in Florida
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FL Dept. of Environmental Protection, Northeast District
21FLA_WQX17 samples · 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory