Lake Roberta
Lake Roberta in Hillsborough County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 116 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 86°F
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Lake Roberta →
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Lake Roberta is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Hillsborough County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 123 other monitored lakes in Hillsborough County, Lake Roberta ranks #92 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2023-08-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria F · advisory
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Lake Roberta routinely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 64.7% of 51 samples across 6 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Florida’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 116 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 73.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 116 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Lake Roberta
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Roberta in Hillsborough 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 Roberta are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Roberta
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Lake Roberta typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in Jan (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 146 field readings (2018–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Roberta water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Lowry Park Public Boat RampPublic
- Rick's on the RiverSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Roberta
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.02 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.55 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Roberta is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1555Z · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.23 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Roberta 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.
- Hillsborough Co & Co App - MS4Tampa · 3.3 mi away · NPDES FLS000006Major
- Tampa - MS4Tampa · 3.7 mi away · NPDES FLS000008Major
- Seaworld Parks Entertainment Llc - Busch GardensTampa · 3.1 mi away · NPDES FL0185833Recent violation
- Buckeye Terminals, Llc - Tampa North TerminalTampa · 3.5 mi away · NPDES FL0034622
- Mplx Terminals, Llc - Tampa TerminalTampa · 3.8 mi away · NPDES FL0037702
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #92 of 124 lakes in Hillsborough County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Roberta holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Hillsborough County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Roberta
Where is Lake Roberta?
- Lake Roberta is a lake in Hillsborough 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 Roberta?
- Lake Roberta in Hillsborough County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 116 µg/L.
Is Lake Roberta safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Lake Roberta routinely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 64.7% of 51 samples across 6 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of F — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Lake Roberta has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Florida's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Roberta?
- Lake Roberta typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August, from 146 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Roberta?
- Lake Roberta has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lowry Park Public Boat Ramp, Rick's on the River. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Roberta across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
84 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples84 samples · 2020–2023
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory