Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake
Sarasota County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake in Sarasota County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 74.5 µg/L.
Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sarasota County, Florida. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Sarasota County, Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2022-02-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Sarasota-Heron Lagoon 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 Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Phosphorus 74.5 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 74.5µg/L | Poor 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. | 63 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake
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Stays near Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake in Sarasota 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake are listed below.
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Fishing Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2021). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-22 µg/L/yr2 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger.
- Siesta Key Utilities AuthoritySarasota · 2.8 mi away · NPDES FL0025755Major
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.
Nearby Lakes in Sarasota County
Frequently asked questions about Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake
Where is Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake?
- Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake is a lake in Sarasota County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake?
- Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake in Sarasota County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 74.5 µg/L.
Is Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Can I fish at Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake?
- Public access to Sarasota-Heron Lagoon Lake 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
124 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- FLORIDA LAKEWATCH
21FLKWAT_WQX124 samples · 2020–2022
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)