Doctors Lake
Doctors Lake in Clay County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 84 µg/L. Surface area: 12 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Area
- 12 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Doctors Lake →
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Doctors Lake is a 12-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Clay County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 16 other monitored lakes in Clay County, Doctors Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-08-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 84 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 84 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Doctors Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Doctors Lake in Clay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Doctors Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Doctors Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Doctors Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Doctors Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.016 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.78 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Doctors Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Doctors Lake Dam, built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Duck Creek; earth-type dam, 12 ft tall and 3,506 ft long.
- Surface area
- 12 ac
- Normal storage
- 48 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 144 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 16.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- ALLEN LAND GROUP, INC.
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID FL69005 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Doctors 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 FL2389 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 17 lakes in Clay County
Nearby Lakes in Clay County
Frequently asked questions about Doctors Lake
Where is Doctors Lake?
- Doctors Lake is a lake in Clay County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Doctors Lake?
- Doctors Lake in Clay County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 84 µg/L. Surface area: 12 acres.
Is Doctors Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Doctors Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Explore Doctors Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Castillo de San Marcos?
Doctors Lake is about 30 miles from Castillo de San Marcos 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 Castillo de San Marcos →More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Florida
Eutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
66 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FL Dept. of Environmental Protection, Northeast District
21FLA_WQX66 samples · 2023–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
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