Lake Francis
Highlands County, Florida3,662 acresView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Francis. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
Lake Francis in Highlands County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Surface area: 3662 acres.
Lake Francis is a 3,662-acre mesotrophic lake in Highlands County, Florida. 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, Lake Francis ranks #20 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2024-10-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Francis is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water3,662 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Francis is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Francis is safe to swim in today is a call for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Francis
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Lake Francis, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus 12 µg/L. TSI 48.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 48 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lake Francis
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Francis typically sits around 81°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 87°F) and coldest in Jan (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (87°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 86 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Francis water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
3,662 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Florida DEP
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Francis, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Francis Public Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Francis
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Francis 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 Lake Francis
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Fishing Lake Francis
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.4 µg/L/yr5 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Francis is a man-made reservoir impounded by the G-90 (completed 1962), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Jack Creek; concrete-type dam, 15 ft tall and 21.67 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,662 ac
- Normal storage
- 33,324 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 44,676 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 44 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- SWFWMD
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID FL00440 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.42 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Francis is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1938G · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Highlands County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Francis
Where is Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis is a lake in Highlands County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis in Highlands County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Surface area: 3662 acres.
Is Lake Francis safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Francis is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis typically sits around 81°F at the surface in October, from 86 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Francis Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Francis?
- Lake Francis has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Florida's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lake Francis across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples30 samples · 2020–2022
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples22 samples · 2023–2024
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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