Otter Lake Ref
Wakulla County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Otter Lake Ref. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Otter Lake Ref in Wakulla County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 46 µg/L.
Otter Lake Ref is a lake in Wakulla County, Florida. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2023-06-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Otter Lake Ref is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Otter Lake Ref 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 Otter Lake Ref
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Otter Lake Ref, 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 46 µg/L. TSI 68.
| 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 | 46µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| 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. | 68 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Otter Lake Ref
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Otter Lake Ref typically sits around 76°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 87°F) and coldest in Apr (about 76°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (76°F) to its warmest (87°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (2012–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Otter Lake Ref water temperature breakdown →
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Stays near Otter Lake Ref
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Fishing Otter Lake Ref
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2024).
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.2 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Otter Lake Ref 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: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1165A · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wakulla County
Frequently asked questions about Otter Lake Ref
Where is Otter Lake Ref?
- Otter Lake Ref is a lake in Wakulla County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Otter Lake Ref?
- Otter Lake Ref in Wakulla County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 46 µg/L.
Is Otter Lake Ref safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Otter Lake Ref is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Otter Lake Ref?
- Otter Lake Ref typically sits around 76°F at the surface in October, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Otter Lake Ref?
- Public access to Otter Lake Ref is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples2 samples · 2023
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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