Little Lake Jackson

Little Lake Jackson is a relatively deep (30 feet), mucky-bottomed, naturally stained 'transition' type lake located to the west of Lake Jackson and the City of Sebring.  Water flows into Little Lake Jackson from big Lake Jackson and from a canal that runs through the City of Sebring Municipal Golf Course.  Based on Lakewatch data, water quality in Little Lake Jackson is poor due to high nutrient levels that are derived from a variety of sources.  This lake is the site of a cooperative study and alum treatment funded by the City of Sebring, Highlands County and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.  For more information, please visit our current projects/alum injection page.  Phosphorus levels in Little Lake Jackson range from a moderate 20 ppb (parts per billion) to a very high 113 ppb, averaging 53 ppb.  Nitrogen levels are also high, ranging from 520 to 2380 ppb and averaging 999 ppb.  Algae levels are high most of the time, with occasional 'blooms', as a result of these high levels of nutrients.  Chlorophyll concentrations, used to estimate the amount of algae present, range from 10 to 180 ppb and average a high 40 ppb.  The presence of algae decreases water clarity, which is measured by the depth to which a standardized 'secchi' disc can be seen when lowered into the water.  Secchi depths range from 1 to 6.4 feet and average 3.3 feet, which is deeper than expected in the presence of such high levels of algae.  Water quality has been poor in this lake since Lakewatch sampling began in 1991.  The treatment of some inflow water will help reduce algae levels in the lake, but ultimately the actual sources of nutrients must be identified and controlled.  Click here to view water quality data by year.

Little Lake Jackson can be accessed by boat only by launching at Veteran's beach at the northwest end of Lake Jackson.  Travel south from Veteran's Beach to the South end of Lake Jackson and pass under US 27 through the small channel.  This channel gets very shallow from March through early June and may be unpassable or completely dry during these months.

Historic aerial photo gallery 1944-2002

Lakewatch water quality data through 1999