Rouse Lake
Rouse Lake in Orange County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 86°F
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Rouse Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Orange County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 319 other monitored lakes in Orange County, Rouse Lake ranks #205 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-01-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A · advisory
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, Rouse Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 27 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)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Rouse Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rouse 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 Rouse Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Rouse Lake typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 86°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in Jan (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 75 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rouse Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Rouse Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.155 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.45 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Rouse Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL3024A · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.99 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Rouse Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Ocud/Eastern Subregional WrfOrlando · 3.6 mi away · NPDES FL0038849MajorRecent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #205 of 320 lakes in Orange County
Nearby Lakes in Orange County
Frequently asked questions about Rouse Lake
Where is Rouse Lake?
- Rouse 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 Rouse Lake?
- Rouse Lake in Orange County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L.
Is Rouse Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Rouse Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 27 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. Rouse 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 Rouse Lake?
- Rouse Lake typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August, from 75 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Rouse Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Canaveral?
Rouse Lake is about 31 miles from Canaveral National Seashore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Canaveral →More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Mesotrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
60 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 samples60 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)