Hillsborough-Stearns Lake
Hillsborough-Stearns Lake in Hillsborough County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 192 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Hillsborough-Stearns Lake →
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Hillsborough-Stearns Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Hillsborough County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 123 other monitored lakes in Hillsborough County, Hillsborough-Stearns Lake ranks #99 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2022-06-22. 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 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 192 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 74.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 192 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Hillsborough-Stearns Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hillsborough-Stearns Lake in Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough-Stearns Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Hillsborough-Stearns Lake
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Recreation & Access
- Edward Medard Park Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Hillsborough-Stearns Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.5 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +45 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Hillsborough-Stearns 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 FL1621B · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.74 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Hillsborough-Stearns Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger.
- Mosaic Fertilizer, Llc - Hopewell MinePlant City · 4.2 mi away · NPDES FL0032590Major
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 #99 of 124 lakes in Hillsborough County
Nearby Lakes in Hillsborough County
Frequently asked questions about Hillsborough-Stearns Lake
Where is Hillsborough-Stearns Lake?
- Hillsborough-Stearns Lake is a lake in Hillsborough County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Hillsborough-Stearns Lake?
- Hillsborough-Stearns Lake in Hillsborough County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 192 µg/L.
Is Hillsborough-Stearns 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. Hillsborough-Stearns Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Hillsborough-Stearns Lake?
- Hillsborough-Stearns Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Edward Medard Park Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Hillsborough-Stearns Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Florida
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
93 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_WQX93 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory