Sarasota-Lake-M
Sarasota County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Sarasota-Lake-M. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
Sarasota-Lake-M in Sarasota County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 136 µg/L.
Sarasota-Lake-M is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sarasota County, Florida. 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 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Sarasota-Lake-M is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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-Lake-M 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-Lake-M
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Sarasota-Lake-M, 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 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 136 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 136µg/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. | 69 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Sarasota-Lake-M
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Nathan Benderson Park (SW Fishing Lake)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover 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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Fishing Sarasota-Lake-M
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.6 µg/L/yr5 years
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.
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. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sarasota-Lake-M?
- Sarasota-Lake-M in Sarasota County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 136 µg/L.
Is Sarasota-Lake-M safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Sarasota-Lake-M?
- Sarasota-Lake-M has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nathan Benderson Park (SW Fishing Lake). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Sarasota-Lake-M?
- Sarasota-Lake-M has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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
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)
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory