Polk-Shipp Lake
Polk-Shipp Lake in Polk County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Polk-Shipp Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 176 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Polk-Shipp Lake ranks #44 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-02-25. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 32.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 32.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Polk-Shipp Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Polk-Shipp 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Polk-Shipp Lake
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Recreation & Access
- Lake Shipp ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Polk-Shipp Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.207 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Polk-Shipp 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 FL1521D · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.04 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #44 of 177 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Polk-Shipp Lake
Where is Polk-Shipp Lake?
- Polk-Shipp Lake is a lake in Polk County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Polk-Shipp Lake?
- Polk-Shipp Lake in Polk County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32.5 µg/L.
Is Polk-Shipp Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Polk-Shipp Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Polk-Shipp Lake?
- Polk-Shipp Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Shipp Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Polk-Shipp Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Eutrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
105 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_WQX105 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory