Tilden Lake
Tilden Lake in Orange County, Florida has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 86°F
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Tilden Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Orange County, Florida. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 319 other monitored lakes in Orange County, Tilden Lake ranks #273 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-02-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria C
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, Tilden Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 7.7% of 52 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: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 54 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 54 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Tilden Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tilden 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 Tilden Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Florida’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Tilden Lake typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 86°F) and coldest in Jan (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 87 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tilden Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Tilden Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.015 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.2 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Tilden 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 FL2875B · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #273 of 320 lakes in Orange County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Tilden Lake holds Grade C. 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 Orange County
Frequently asked questions about Tilden Lake
Where is Tilden Lake?
- Tilden Lake is a lake in Orange County, Florida. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Tilden Lake?
- Tilden Lake in Orange County, Florida has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L.
Is Tilden Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Tilden Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 7.7% of 52 samples across 8 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of C — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Tilden Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). 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 Tilden Lake?
- Tilden Lake typically sits around 86°F at the surface in August, from 87 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Tilden Lake across LakeQuality
More Florida Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Florida
Eutrophic 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