Lake Apopka is the fourth largest lake in the US state of Florida. It is located 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Orlando, mostly within Orange County, although the western part is in Lake County.
Water from Lake Apopka, fed by a natural spring, rain and storm runoff, flows through the Apopka-Bokler canal to Lakes Bockler and Dora. From Dora Lake, water flows into Eustice Lake, then into Griffin Lake, and then north into the Oklavahah River which flows into the St. Johns River.
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| Lake Apopka |
History
In the 1940s, Apopka Lake was one of Central Florida's top attractions. Anglers came from all over the United States to fish for trophy-sized bass in Lake Apopka, and 21 fish camps lined the lake's shoreline. Lake Apopka has over 100 years of history of human change, beginning with the construction of the Apopka-Bokler Canal in 1888. In 1941, a dam was built along the northern shore to drain 20,000 acres (80 km²) of shallow swamps for agriculture. The release of water rich in nutrients from agricultural and other sources has created conditions that have caused chronic algal blooms and led to the loss of the lake's recreational value and game fish populations.