Lake Harris (Florida)
Encyclopedia
Lake Harris is a lake
in Lake County
, Florida
, United States
, 31 miles (50 km) northwest of Orlando
. It is part of the "Upper Ocklawaha River Basin" a sub-basin of the St. Johns River. It is known by locals as the "Harris Chain of Lakes" or "Ocklawaha Chain of Lakes".
Lake Harris is the largest lake in Lake County
, at 13788 acres (56 km²) with an irregular shape when viewed from the air. An adjoining lake, Little Lake Harris, east of SR 19, is a smaller version of the lake. The combined area of the two lakes exceeds 15000 acres (61 km²).
The lake's northeastern shore
is a landing approach zone for the Leesburg International Airport. It is a harbor
city for Leesburg
, at the northwestern shore of the lake. At the westernmost point of the lake is U.S. Route 27
/SR 25
. The road adjoins the lake to the east.
Lake Harris primarily receives inflow, at its southwestern shore from the Palatlakaha River which originates from the Clermont chain of lakes to the south. Other inflowing rivers include Helena Run, and outflow from many small springs in Yalaha.
Lake Harris' depth is much greater than Lake Okeechobee
to the south with many deeper holes and ledges. The lake is surrounded by sandhill
s and cypress
trees. This is the part of Florida
known as the 'Central Florida Ridge'. This region of Florida has the highest elevations in Central Florida, reaching 312' above sea level. Compared to the rest of Florida, which is relatively flat, it is quite hilly.
There are three public launching ramps on Lake Harris; off of U.S. Route 27
to the west, Venetian Gardens in Leesburg
and Hickory Point near the Howey-in-the-Hills bridge off SR 19. There is a small but serviceable ramp located on the east side of Little Lake Harris in the City of Astatula
.
The lake is ringed with cattail and bullrush, except for the occasional boat
, dock
, or seawall
. The depth in these tall grasses normally ranges from 2–5 feet. The bottom is mostly hard sand
except for some marsh
y areas where the bottom is considerably softer. These sheltered areas around the edge can offer a good place to fish during inclement weather
.
now names a freshwater lake to the north, connected by the Dead River
directly to Lake Harris. The lake was also known by its Seminole
name Lake Astatula.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Lake County
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 31 miles (50 km) northwest of Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. It is part of the "Upper Ocklawaha River Basin" a sub-basin of the St. Johns River. It is known by locals as the "Harris Chain of Lakes" or "Ocklawaha Chain of Lakes".
Lake Harris is the largest lake in Lake County
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
, at 13788 acres (56 km²) with an irregular shape when viewed from the air. An adjoining lake, Little Lake Harris, east of SR 19, is a smaller version of the lake. The combined area of the two lakes exceeds 15000 acres (61 km²).
The lake's northeastern shore
Shore
A shore or shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In Physical Oceanography a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past and present, while the beach is at the edge of the shore,...
is a landing approach zone for the Leesburg International Airport. It is a harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
city for Leesburg
Leesburg, Florida
Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,956 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,086.. Leesburg is located in central Florida, between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, at the head of the Oklawaha River system....
, at the northwestern shore of the lake. At the westernmost point of the lake is U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 27 is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus is at US 1 in Miami, Florida. The northern terminus is at Interstate 69 in Fort Wayne, Indiana...
/SR 25
Florida State Road 25
State Road 25 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Florida.It is mainly signed as U.S. Highways:*U.S. Highway 27 from Miami to Lady Lake and Belleview to Ocala*U.S. Highway 301 from Belleview to near Sparr...
. The road adjoins the lake to the east.
Lake Harris primarily receives inflow, at its southwestern shore from the Palatlakaha River which originates from the Clermont chain of lakes to the south. Other inflowing rivers include Helena Run, and outflow from many small springs in Yalaha.
Lake Harris' depth is much greater than Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee , locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida. It is the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States and the second largest freshwater lake contained entirely within the lower 48 states...
to the south with many deeper holes and ledges. The lake is surrounded by sandhill
Sandhill
A sandhill is a type of ecological community or xeric wildfire-maintained ecosystem. It is not the same as a sand dune. It features very short fire return intervals, one to five years. Without fire, sandhills undergo ecological succession and become more oak dominated.Entisols are the typical...
s and cypress
Taxodium
Taxodium is a genus of one to three species of extremely flood-tolerant conifers in the cypress family, Cupressaceae...
trees. This is the part of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
known as the 'Central Florida Ridge'. This region of Florida has the highest elevations in Central Florida, reaching 312' above sea level. Compared to the rest of Florida, which is relatively flat, it is quite hilly.
There are three public launching ramps on Lake Harris; off of U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 27 is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus is at US 1 in Miami, Florida. The northern terminus is at Interstate 69 in Fort Wayne, Indiana...
to the west, Venetian Gardens in Leesburg
Leesburg, Florida
Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,956 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,086.. Leesburg is located in central Florida, between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, at the head of the Oklawaha River system....
and Hickory Point near the Howey-in-the-Hills bridge off SR 19. There is a small but serviceable ramp located on the east side of Little Lake Harris in the City of Astatula
Astatula, Florida
Astatula is a town in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,298 at the 2000 census. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 1,831...
.
The lake is ringed with cattail and bullrush, except for the occasional boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
, dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
, or seawall
Seawall
A seawall is a form of coastal defence constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation and leisure activities from the action of tides and waves...
. The depth in these tall grasses normally ranges from 2–5 feet. The bottom is mostly hard sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
except for some marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y areas where the bottom is considerably softer. These sheltered areas around the edge can offer a good place to fish during inclement weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
.
Origin of name
Lake Harris derives its name from Ebenezer Jackson Harris (1815–1885), a pioneer resident who lived at Yalaha on the south side of the Lake in the 1840s. Lake Harris had been originally called Lake Eustis since 1823, in honor of Colonel Abraham Eustis. Another separate lake, the modern-day Lake EustisLake Eustis
Lake Eustis is located in Central Florida, west of the city of Eustis. It covers approximately 7,000 acres . It is spring feed and is a member of the Harris Chain of Lakes, and is connected to Lake Harris by means of the Dead River. It is also connected to the St. Johns River via Haines Creek to...
now names a freshwater lake to the north, connected by the Dead River
Dead River
-Florida:*Dead River *Dead River, tributary of the Choctawhatchee River*Dead River, tributary of the Hillsborough River *Dead River, tributary of the Kissimmee River*Dead River, tributary of the Ochlockonee River-Maine:...
directly to Lake Harris. The lake was also known by its Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
name Lake Astatula.