Lake Hardee
Lake Hardee in Hardee County, Florida is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 140 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Max depth
- ~43 ft est.
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Lake Hardee has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Lake Hardee, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and phosphorus, but not algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by FDEP and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Lake Hardee is a lake in Hardee County, Florida with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2024-07-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Lake Hardee water quality
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Lake Hardee
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 140 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 68.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 140 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Lake Hardee
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Hardee in Hardee 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 Hardee
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~43 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~6 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Florida has not published bathymetry for Lake Hardee.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Hardee Lakes Park #2Public
- Hardee Lakes Park #1Public
- Hardee Lakes Park #3Public
- Hardee Lakes Park #4Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Hardee
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Hardee under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 5 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Mosaic Fertilizer, Llc - Hardee South Pasture MineWauchula · 2.8 mi away · NPDES FL0040177MajorRecent violation
- Mosaic Fertilizer, Llc - Ft Green Mine ComplexFort Green · 4.4 mi away · NPDES FL0027600MajorRecent violation
- Hardee Power Station Units 1 2Fort Green · 1.2 mi away · NPDES FL0041751Major
- Seci - Richard J. Midulla Generating StationFort Green · 1.4 mi away · NPDES FL0044229Major
- Mosaic Fertilizer, Llc - Hardee North Pasture MineWauchula · 2.8 mi away · NPDES FL0035271Major
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.
Graded lakes near Lake Hardee
Lake Hardee has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Hardee County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Hardee
Where is Lake Hardee?
- Lake Hardee is a lake in Hardee County, Florida. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Lake Hardee?
- Lake Hardee in Hardee County, Florida is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 140 µg/L.
Is Lake Hardee safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Lake Hardee is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Lake Hardee?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Hardee, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Hardee?
- Lake Hardee has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hardee Lakes Park #2, Hardee Lakes Park #1, Hardee Lakes Park #3, Hardee Lakes Park #4. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Hardee across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples2 samples · 2024
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory