Sheel Lake
Sheel Lake in Clay County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 17.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 17.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 87°F
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Next lake in Clay County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Sheel Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Clay County, Florida. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 16 other monitored lakes in Clay County, Sheel Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-02-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Sheel Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 17.2 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Sheel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sheel Lake in Clay 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 Sheel Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Sheel Lake typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 84°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 87°F) and coldest in Jan (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 66 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sheel Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Sheel Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.7 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.5 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sheel Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL2528B · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.03 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 17 lakes in Clay County
Nearby Lakes in Clay County
Frequently asked questions about Sheel Lake
Where is Sheel Lake?
- Sheel Lake is a lake in Clay County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sheel Lake?
- Sheel Lake in Clay County, Florida has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 17.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L.
Is Sheel Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Sheel Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sheel Lake?
- Sheel Lake typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August, from 66 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Sheel Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Castillo de San Marcos?
Sheel Lake is about 39 miles from Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. 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 Castillo de San Marcos →More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Florida
Oligotrophic Lakes in Florida
Where this data comes from
80 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- St. Johns River Water Management District
21FLSJWM_WQX80 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