Overview
Lake Kissimmee is an approximately 35,000-acre lake on the Osceola–Polk line and the largest waterbody in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. It is the outlet of the upper Kissimmee Basin: water leaves through the S-65 structure into the Kissimmee River toward Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. Stages are regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District with the South Florida Water Management District as part of the C&SF Project and Kissimmee River Restoration.
The lake averages about 7 to 8 feet deep and reaches near 12 feet, with expansive marshes, islands, and Kissimmee grass beds. Much of the eastern shore is framed by Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area and Prairie Lakes, while Lake Kissimmee State Park anchors the west. Connecting canals link it to Lake Hatchineha and Cypress Lake as a shared lower-chain pool.
Kissimmee is internationally known for trophy largemouth bass and also produces crappie, bluegill, and catfish, with fisheries managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. State park ramps, Overstreet Landing, and other public access points support heavy tournament and recreational use.
Kissimmee shares the Headwaters Revitalization regulation schedule with Hatchineha and Cypress, typically operated between about 49 and 52.5 feet above mean sea level (NGVD29). Releases at S-65 balance flood control, water supply, and river-restoration flow targets, so monitoring current lake levels is important for boating the lake's shallow, vegetated flats.
Current Conditions
Lake Kissimmee is currently 4.14 feet below full pool and has remained relatively stable over the past seven days.
- 7-day trendStableLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeDown 0.01 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.07 ft
- Drought conditionsAbnormally Dry
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Lake Kissimmee is a 34,948-acre reservoir on the Lake Hatchineha (C-37) and Kissimmee Chain tributaries managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.