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LakeQuality
Pink and orange afterglow over the treeline on Slim Lake after sunset

Updated August 2026

The State of Florida's Lakes 2026

Of 2,012 lakes in Florida, 69.3% sit in EPA's favourable condition classes for nutrients and algae and 23.4% in its poorer ones. Jacc Lake is the cleanest; 1,721 lakes (85.5%) are on an official impaired-waters list.

Data Report

2,012
Monitored lakes sampled
C
Average readings
69.3%
low nutrient and algae readings
85.5%
On impaired list

Florida nutrient and algae readings

Cleanest lakes in Florida

Cleanest combined nutrient and algae readings, 2026.

  1. 1.Jacc Lake — Walton County9.3 ft clarity · 12 µg/L P · 5 µg/L chl-a
  2. 2.Bay-Deer Point Lake — Bay County4.0 ft clarity · 14 µg/L P
  3. 3.Lake Lancaster West — Orange County3.5 ft clarity · 28 µg/L P
  4. 4.Eastern Lake Outlet — Walton County4.2 ft clarity · 16 µg/L P
  5. 5.Highlands-Sirena Lake — Highlands County16.0 ft clarity · 8 µg/L P
  6. 6.Seminole-Secret Lake — Seminole County4.5 ft clarity · 22 µg/L P
  7. 7.Brevard-Clear Lake — Brevard County9.8 ft clarity · 21 µg/L P
  8. 8.Polk-Fannie Lake — Polk County3.5 ft clarity · 28 µg/L P
  9. 9.Volusia-North Talmadge Lake — Volusia County4.5 ft clarity · 22 µg/L P
  10. 10.Seminole-Spring Lake — Seminole County3.0 ft clarity · 24 µg/L P

Highest measured algae

Highest measured chlorophyll-a (algae) concentration.

No qualifying lakes with sufficient data.

Trending lakes

Improving

  1. 1.Bay-Deer Point Lake — Bay County
  2. 2.Eastern Lake Outlet — Walton County
  3. 3.Seminole-Secret Lake — Seminole County
  4. 4.Volusia-North Talmadge Lake — Volusia County
  5. 5.Marion-Deerback Lake — Marion County
  6. 6.Putnam-Suggs Lake — Putnam County
  7. 7.Alachua-Elizabeth Lake — Alachua County
  8. 8.Camp Creek Roadside Lake — Walton County

Declining

  1. 1.Polk-Little Bass Lake — Polk County
  2. 2.Lake G — Orange County
  3. 3.Polk-Big Bass Lake — Polk County
  4. 4.Lake Roberta — Hillsborough County
  5. 5.Dney Lake — Lake County
  6. 6.Ash Lake — Volusia County
  7. 7.Polk-Fauna Lake — Polk County
  8. 8.Febin Lake — Glades County

Impaired waters in Florida

1,721 lakes appear on the EPA/state 303(d) impaired-waters list (1,078 formally listed, 904 with a cleanup plan/TMDL).

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) · 617Algal growth · 612Mercury · 571Impaired biota (cause unknown) · 410Oxygen depletion (low DO) · 353pH / acidity · 191Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) · 130Metals (other than mercury) · 77

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Florida Lake Trips

Where to stay at Florida's top lakes, each with its readings

Readings combine total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity from the EPA Water Quality Portal and state agencies. See the full methodology, the national State of America’s Lakes report, or all Florida lakes.

Cite this report: LakeQuality, “The State of Florida's Lakes 2026”.