Marion-Charles Lake
Marion County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Marion-Charles Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
Marion-Charles Lake in Marion County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 68 µg/L.
Marion-Charles Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Marion County, Florida. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Marion County, Marion-Charles Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-03-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Marion-Charles Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Marion-Charles 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 Marion-Charles Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Marion-Charles 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 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 68 µg/L. TSI 71.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 68µg/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. | 71 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Marion-Charles Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Marion-Charles Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in Jan (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (87°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 15 field readings (2011–2017) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Marion-Charles Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Lake Charles Primitive Access - Ocala National ForestPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Marion-Charles Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Marion-Charles Lake in Marion 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 Marion-Charles Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Marion-Charles Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Marion-Charles Lake → · more Florida lake trips
Follow Marion-Charles Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Marion-Charles Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-9 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Marion County
Frequently asked questions about Marion-Charles Lake
Where is Marion-Charles Lake?
- Marion-Charles Lake is a lake in Marion County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Marion-Charles Lake?
- Marion-Charles Lake in Marion County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 68 µg/L.
Is Marion-Charles Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Marion-Charles Lake?
- Marion-Charles Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in September, from 15 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2017). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Marion-Charles Lake?
- Marion-Charles Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Charles Primitive Access - Ocala National Forest. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Marion-Charles Lake?
- Marion-Charles Lake 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 Marion-Charles Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Florida
Other Lakes in Florida
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
222 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FLORIDA LAKEWATCH
21FLKWAT_WQX222 samples · 2020–2025
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory