Sarasota-Lake-M
Sarasota-Lake-M in Sarasota County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 136 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Sarasota-Lake-M →
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Sarasota-Lake-M is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sarasota County, Florida. Water quality is graded D 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 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Sarasota County, Sarasota-Lake-M ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-03-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria 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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 136 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 69.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 136 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Sarasota-Lake-M
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sarasota-Lake-M 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Sarasota-Lake-M are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Sarasota-Lake-M
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Recreation & Access
- Nathan Benderson Park (SW Fishing Lake)Public
- Nathan Benderson Park (Main Watersport Lake)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sarasota-Lake-M
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.025 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.6 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sarasota-Lake-M is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1937 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.13 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Sarasota-Lake-M under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Sarasota, City Of - Fruitville WwtpSarasota · 1.1 mi away · NPDES FL0134589
- Sarasota County North Master Reuse SystemSarasota · 1.9 mi away · NPDES FL0177008
- Smr Aggregates IncSarasota County · 2.3 mi away · NPDES FL0043354
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 #19 of 30 lakes in Sarasota County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Sarasota-Lake-M holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Sarasota County
Frequently asked questions about Sarasota-Lake-M
Where is Sarasota-Lake-M?
- Sarasota-Lake-M is a lake in Sarasota County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sarasota-Lake-M?
- Sarasota-Lake-M in Sarasota County, Florida has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 136 µg/L.
Is Sarasota-Lake-M safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Sarasota-Lake-M has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Sarasota-Lake-M?
- Sarasota-Lake-M has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nathan Benderson Park (SW Fishing Lake), Nathan Benderson Park (Main Watersport Lake). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sarasota-Lake-M across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
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Where this data comes from
313 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_WQX313 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory