Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake
Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake in Polk County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 236 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 88°F
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake →
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Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Polk County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 176 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake ranks #158 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-08-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 1.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 236 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 76.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 236 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 76 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ft Meade Pit Sw 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Ft Meade Pit Sw 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 Jan (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 61 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.022 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -3.96 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1623Z · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.17 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Ft Meade Pit Sw 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.
- U S Agri-Chemicals Corporation - Ft Meade Chemical PlantFort Meade · 3 mi away · NPDES FL0001902MajorRecent violation
- Imc Phosphates Co. - Noralyn/PBartow · 3.6 mi away · NPDES FL0000230Major
- Novaphos Development, LlcFort Meade · 2.6 mi away · NPDES FL0757471
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #158 of 177 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake
Where is Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake?
- Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake is a lake in Polk County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake?
- Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake in Polk County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 236 µg/L.
Is Ft Meade Pit Sw 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. Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake?
- Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake typically sits around 88°F at the surface in August, from 61 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Ft Meade Pit Sw Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Florida
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
50 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 samples50 samples · 2020–2025
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)