Highlands-Carrie Lake
Highlands-Carrie Lake in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Typical in August
- 85°F
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Highlands-Carrie Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Highlands County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 72 other monitored lakes in Highlands County, Highlands-Carrie Lake ranks #38 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-04-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 29 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 57.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 29 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Highlands-Carrie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Highlands-Carrie Lake in Highlands 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 Highlands-Carrie Lake
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Water Temperature
Highlands-Carrie Lake typically sits around 85°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 85°F) and coldest in Dec (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2014–2014) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Highlands-Carrie Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Highlands-Carrie Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.2 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Highlands-Carrie 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 FL1938D · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.05 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #38 of 73 lakes in Highlands County
Nearby Lakes in Highlands County
Frequently asked questions about Highlands-Carrie Lake
Where is Highlands-Carrie Lake?
- Highlands-Carrie Lake is a lake in Highlands County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Highlands-Carrie Lake?
- Highlands-Carrie Lake in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L.
Is Highlands-Carrie Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Highlands-Carrie Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Highlands-Carrie Lake?
- Highlands-Carrie Lake typically sits around 85°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2014–2014). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Highlands-Carrie Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Eutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
105 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FLORIDA LAKEWATCH
21FLKWAT_WQX105 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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