Highlands-Pearl Lake
Highlands-Pearl Lake in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 15.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 15.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 84°F
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Highlands-Pearl Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Highlands County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 72 other monitored lakes in Highlands County, Highlands-Pearl Lake ranks #43 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2022-06-11. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 15.7 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Highlands-Pearl Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Highlands-Pearl 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-Pearl Lake typically sits around 84°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 88°F) and coldest in Feb (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 70 field readings (2010–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Highlands-Pearl Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Highlands-Pearl Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.095 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.35 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Highlands-Pearl 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 FL1932E · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.82 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #43 of 73 lakes in Highlands County
Nearby Lakes in Highlands County
Frequently asked questions about Highlands-Pearl Lake
Where is Highlands-Pearl Lake?
- Highlands-Pearl 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-Pearl Lake?
- Highlands-Pearl Lake in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 15.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L.
Is Highlands-Pearl Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Highlands-Pearl Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Highlands-Pearl Lake?
- Highlands-Pearl Lake typically sits around 84°F at the surface in August, from 70 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Highlands-Pearl Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Oligotrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FLORIDA LAKEWATCH
21FLKWAT_WQX24 samples · 2021–2022
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