Lake Istokpoga
Lake Istokpoga in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 62 µg/L. Surface area: 216 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Area
- 216 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Lake Istokpoga →
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Lake Istokpoga is a 216-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Highlands County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 72 other monitored lakes in Highlands County, Lake Istokpoga ranks #73 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2023-08-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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: 62 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 71.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 62 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Lake Istokpoga
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Istokpoga 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake Istokpoga are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Istokpoga
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 216 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Istokpoga, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake Istokpoga
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.05 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -35 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Istokpoga is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Structure 68, built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Canal C-41; earth-type dam, 13 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 216 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,944 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- SFWMD
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID FL00282 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.58 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Istokpoga is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1856B · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #73 of 73 lakes in Highlands County
Nearby Lakes in Highlands County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Istokpoga
Where is Lake Istokpoga?
- Lake Istokpoga is a lake in Highlands 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 Istokpoga?
- Lake Istokpoga in Highlands County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 62 µg/L. Surface area: 216 acres.
Is Lake Istokpoga 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 Istokpoga has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Explore Lake Istokpoga across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Florida
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples12 samples · 2023
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database