Tussock Lake
Citrus County, FloridaView mapDirections
Florida DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Tussock Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- Public access
Tussock Lake in Citrus County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23 µg/L.
Tussock Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Citrus County, Florida. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Citrus County, Tussock Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, FDEP, last sampled 2025-03-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Tussock Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Tussock 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 Tussock Lake
These are the measurements Florida DEP publishes for Tussock 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 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 23 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 23µg/L | Good 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. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Tussock Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Tussock Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 86°F) and coldest in Feb (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (86°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 145 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tussock Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Tussock Lake
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Fishing Tussock Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.3 µg/L/yr5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Tussock Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FL1340Q · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Citrus County
Frequently asked questions about Tussock Lake
Where is Tussock Lake?
- Tussock Lake is a lake in Citrus County, Florida. Its water-quality measurements are published by Florida DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Tussock Lake?
- Tussock Lake in Citrus County, Florida has water-quality measurements published by Florida DEP, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23 µg/L.
Is Tussock Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Tussock Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Tussock Lake?
- Tussock Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in October, from 145 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Tussock Lake?
- Public access to Tussock 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
33 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 samples33 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database