Marion-Charles Lake
Marion-Charles Lake in Marion County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 68 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Typical in August
- 85°F
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Marion-Charles Lake →
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Marion-Charles Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Marion County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 68 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 71.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 68 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Marion-Charles Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Marion-Charles Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Marion-Charles Lake → · more Florida lake trips
Water Temperature
Marion-Charles Lake typically sits around 85°F at the surface in August. 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.
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
Fishing Marion-Charles Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.155 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -9 µg/L/yr | 5 |
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 18 lakes in Marion County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Marion-Charles Lake 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 Marion County
Frequently asked questions about Marion-Charles Lake
Where is Marion-Charles Lake?
- Marion-Charles Lake is a lake in Marion County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Marion-Charles Lake?
- Marion-Charles Lake in Marion County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 68 µg/L.
Is Marion-Charles Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Marion-Charles Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Marion-Charles Lake?
- Marion-Charles Lake typically sits around 85°F at the surface in August, 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.
Explore Marion-Charles Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade D 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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory