Highlands-Lillian Lake
Highlands-Lillian Lake in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 79°F
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Highlands-Lillian Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic 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. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 72 other monitored lakes in Highlands County, Highlands-Lillian Lake ranks #33 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-05-21. 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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Highlands-Lillian Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Highlands-Lillian 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.
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Water Temperature
Highlands-Lillian Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in Feb (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2010–2015) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Highlands-Lillian Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Lake Damon Public Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Highlands-Lillian Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.35 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.4 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Highlands-Lillian 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 FL1758E · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.39 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #33 of 73 lakes in Highlands County
Nearby Lakes in Highlands County
Frequently asked questions about Highlands-Lillian Lake
Where is Highlands-Lillian Lake?
- Highlands-Lillian 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-Lillian Lake?
- Highlands-Lillian Lake in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L.
Is Highlands-Lillian Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Highlands-Lillian Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Highlands-Lillian Lake?
- Highlands-Lillian Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2015). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Highlands-Lillian Lake?
- Highlands-Lillian Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Damon Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Highlands-Lillian Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Oligotrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
129 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_WQX129 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory