Lake Tarpon | |
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Location | Pinellas County, Florida |
Coordinates | 28°07′N 82°44′W / 28.12°N 82.73°W |
Catchment area | 52 sq mi (130 km2) |
Basin countries | United States |
Surface area | 2,500 acres (10 km2) |
Lake Tarpon is a freshwater lake located about 10 miles (16 km) west of Tampa in Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs, Florida. Lake Tarpon is the largest freshwater lake in Pinellas County with a surface area of 2,534 acres (10.25 km2). [1] Its watershed encompasses 52 square miles (130 km2). Its two largest tributaries are South Creek and Brooker Creek. [2] The lake is a regional recreational destination and is renowned for its largemouth bass fishing. [1]
Although Lake Tarpon is designated as a fishing lake, it fails to meet the EPA's standards, and is therefore listed as an impaired lake due to its excessive nutrients and resulting low dissolved oxygen levels. [3] The lake underwent increasing eutrophication during the 1990s, following a large algal bloom in 1987. [4] Although initial studies determined that the lake was not polluted, [5] studies in the following years noted a decline in the lake's water quality. [6]