Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake
Marion County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake in Marion County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L.
Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake is a mesotrophic 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-Sunset Harbor Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-03-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Marion-Sunset Harbor 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-Sunset Harbor Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.8 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14µg/L | Good 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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Hope Boat Ramp at Sam Phillips ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake
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Fishing Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2022–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.75 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL2790A · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Marion County
Frequently asked questions about Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake
Where is Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake?
- Marion-Sunset Harbor 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-Sunset Harbor Lake?
- Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake in Marion County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L.
Is Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake?
- Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hope Boat Ramp at Sam Phillips Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Marion-Sunset Harbor Lake?
- Marion-Sunset Harbor 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-Sunset Harbor Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
140 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FLORIDA LAKEWATCH
21FLKWAT_WQX140 samples · 2022–2025
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory