Orange-Bessie Lake
Orange-Bessie Lake in Orange County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 12.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 12.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 86°F
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Next lake in Orange County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Orange-Bessie Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Orange County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 319 other monitored lakes in Orange County, Orange-Bessie Lake ranks #49 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2024-06-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Orange-Bessie Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Orange-Bessie Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 29 samples across 8 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Florida’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Orange-Bessie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Orange-Bessie Lake in Orange 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Orange-Bessie 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
Orange-Bessie Lake typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 88°F) and coldest in Feb (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 57 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Orange-Bessie Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Orange-Bessie Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -2.079 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.37 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Orange-Bessie Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL3170T · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.07 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #49 of 320 lakes in Orange County
Nearby Lakes in Orange County
Frequently asked questions about Orange-Bessie Lake
Where is Orange-Bessie Lake?
- Orange-Bessie Lake is a lake in Orange County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Orange-Bessie Lake?
- Orange-Bessie Lake in Orange County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 12.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L.
Is Orange-Bessie Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Orange-Bessie Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 29 samples across 8 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Orange-Bessie Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Florida's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Orange-Bessie Lake?
- Orange-Bessie Lake typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August, from 57 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Orange-Bessie Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Oligotrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
122 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FLORIDA LAKEWATCH
21FLKWAT_WQX122 samples · 2020–2024
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database