Lowref Lake
Suwannee County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Lowref Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- Limited data
Lowref Lake in Suwannee County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 73 µg/L.
Lowref Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Suwannee County, Florida. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-07-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Lowref Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lowref Lake 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 Lowref Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Lowref Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 73 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 73µg/L | Poor 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. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lowref Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lowref Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 77°F) and coldest in Jan (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (52°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lowref Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lowref Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lowref Lake in Suwannee 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lowref Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lowref Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Lowref Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-41 µg/L/yr2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Lowref Lake 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.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL3496A · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Suwannee County
Frequently asked questions about Lowref Lake
Where is Lowref Lake?
- Lowref Lake is a lake in Suwannee County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lowref Lake?
- Lowref Lake in Suwannee County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 73 µg/L.
Is Lowref Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lowref Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lowref Lake?
- Lowref Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September, from 34 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FL Dept. of Environmental Protection, Northeast District
21FLA_WQX20 samples · 2024–2025
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database