Lake Lotela
Highlands County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Lotela. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Lotela in Highlands County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L.
Lake Lotela is a mesotrophic lake in Highlands County, Florida. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 72 other monitored lakes in Highlands County, Lake Lotela ranks #48 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2024-08-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Lotela 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 Lotela is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Lotela 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 Lotela
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Lake Lotela, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lake Lotela
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Lotela South 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 Lotela
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Lotela 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Lotela
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Fishing Lake Lotela
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.05 µg/L/yr5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Lotela is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1813B · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Highlands County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Lotela
Where is Lake Lotela?
- Lake Lotela is a lake in Highlands 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 Lotela?
- Lake Lotela in Highlands County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L.
Is Lake Lotela safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Lotela is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Lotela?
- Lake Lotela has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Lotela South Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Lotela?
- Lake Lotela 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 Lotela across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
37 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples30 samples · 2020–2024
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples7 samples · 2021–2024
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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