Lake Hancock
Lake Hancock in Polk County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 265 µg/L. Surface area: 4541 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Area
- 4,541 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Lake Hancock →
Next lake in Polk County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Lake Hancock is a 4,541-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Polk County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 176 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Lake Hancock ranks #143 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-04-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Lake Hancock water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 265 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 81.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 265 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 81 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Lake Hancock
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Hancock 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake Hancock are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Hancock
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 4,541 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Hancock, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake Hancock
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.009 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +37.94 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Hancock is a man-made reservoir impounded by the P-11 (completed 1965), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Saddle Creek; concrete-type dam, 10 ft tall and 110 ft long.
- Surface area
- 4,541 ac
- Normal storage
- 44,048 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 31,787 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 131 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- SWFWMD
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID FL13003 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Hancock is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1623L · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #143 of 177 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Hancock
Where is Lake Hancock?
- Lake Hancock is a lake in Polk County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Hancock?
- Lake Hancock in Polk County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 265 µg/L. Surface area: 4541 acres.
Is Lake Hancock safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Lake Hancock has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Explore Lake Hancock across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Florida
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Florida
Compare Lake Hancock With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
55 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples55 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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