Red Water Lake
Highlands County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Red Water Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Limited data
Red Water Lake in Highlands County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L.
Red Water Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Highlands County, Florida. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 72 other monitored lakes in Highlands County, Red Water Lake ranks #56 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2024-08-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
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. Red Water Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Red Water 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 Red Water Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Red Water Lake, 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 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.3ft | 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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Red Water Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Red Water Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in Feb (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (65°F) to its warmest (87°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 64 field readings (2014–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Red Water Lake water temperature breakdown →
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Stays near Red Water Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Red Water Lake in Highlands 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.
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Fishing Red Water Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.5 µg/L/yr5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Red Water Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1938F · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Highlands County
Frequently asked questions about Red Water Lake
Where is Red Water Lake?
- Red Water Lake is a lake in Highlands County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Red Water Lake?
- Red Water Lake in Highlands County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L.
Is Red Water Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Red Water Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Red Water Lake?
- Red Water Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in October, from 64 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2014–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
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Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Submitting organization not recorded for these samples18 samples · 2023–2024
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