Lake Hayes
Seminole County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Hayes. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
Lake Hayes in Seminole County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.5 µg/L.
Lake Hayes is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Seminole County, Florida. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 121 other monitored lakes in Seminole County, Lake Hayes ranks #54 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-06-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Hayes 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 Hayes
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Lake Hayes, 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 5.1 ft. Phosphorus 20.5 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20.5µg/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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Hayes
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Hayes typically sits around 87°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 88°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 89°F) and coldest in Dec (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (69°F) to its warmest (89°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 52 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Hayes water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Hayes
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Hayes in Seminole 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 Hayes
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
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Fishing Lake Hayes
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-9.13 µg/L/yr5 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Hayes under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Orlando/Iron Bridge Regional WrfOviedo · 0.7 mi away · NPDES FL0037966MajorRecent violation
- Oviedo, City OfOviedo · 1.4 mi away · NPDES FLS266558Major
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.
Nearby Lakes in Seminole County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Hayes
Where is Lake Hayes?
- Lake Hayes is a lake in Seminole 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 Hayes?
- Lake Hayes in Seminole County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.5 µg/L.
Is Lake Hayes safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Hayes?
- Lake Hayes typically sits around 87°F at the surface in September, from 52 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Lake Hayes across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Canaveral?
Lake Hayes is about 30 miles from Canaveral National Seashore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Canaveral →More lakes in Florida
Other Lakes in Florida
Eutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples39 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)