Lakewales
Lakewales in Polk County, Florida is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
- Typical in August
- 87°F
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Lakewales 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 Lakewales, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
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.
Lakewales is a lake in Polk 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2020-10-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Lakewales 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 Lakewales
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Where to stay near Lakewales
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lakewales in Polk 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 Lakewales
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Lakewales typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in Jan (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 64 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lakewales water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Lake Wales Public Boat RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lakewales
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.008 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.6 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Lakewales 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 FL1619A · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.19 km)
Graded lakes near Lakewales
Lakewales has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Lakewales
Where is Lakewales?
- Lakewales is a lake in Polk 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 Lakewales?
- Lakewales in Polk County, Florida is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
Is Lakewales safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Lakewales is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Lakewales?
- Lakewales typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August, from 64 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Lakewales?
- Lakewales has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Wales Public Boat Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lakewales across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples2 samples · 2020
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory