Lake Haines
Polk County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Haines. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Haines in Polk County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 87 µg/L.
Lake Haines is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk 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 176 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Lake Haines ranks #167 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2023-09-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Haines is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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 Haines is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, impaired biota (cause unknown), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Haines 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 Haines
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Lake Haines, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 87 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 87µg/L | Poor 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. | 69 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Haines
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Haines 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 Haines
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Haines in Polk 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lake Haines are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Haines
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Lake Haines
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-7.11 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Haines is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1488C · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Haines
Where is Lake Haines?
- Lake Haines is a lake in Polk 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 Haines?
- Lake Haines in Polk County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 87 µg/L.
Is Lake Haines safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Haines is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, impaired biota (cause unknown), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Haines?
- Lake Haines has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Haines Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Haines?
- Lake Haines 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 Haines across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples14 samples · 2023
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples12 samples · 2021
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