Morton-Col Lake
Morton-Col Lake in Polk County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 82.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 86°F
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Morton-Col Lake →
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Morton-Col Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Polk County, Florida. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 176 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Morton-Col Lake ranks #159 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-09-03. 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 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 82.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 82.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Morton-Col Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Morton-Col Lake 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Morton-Col Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Morton-Col Lake
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 whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Morton-Col Lake typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in Dec (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 52 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Morton-Col Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Morton-Col Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.029 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Morton-Col Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5A).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1497H · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.05 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #159 of 177 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Morton-Col Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Morton-Col Lake
Where is Morton-Col Lake?
- Morton-Col Lake is a lake in Polk County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Morton-Col Lake?
- Morton-Col Lake in Polk County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 82.5 µg/L.
Is Morton-Col 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. Morton-Col Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Morton-Col Lake?
- Morton-Col Lake typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August, from 52 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Morton-Col Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Florida
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
50 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples50 samples · 2020–2025
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