Aerial view shows reason for Crooked Lake's name

LAKE WALES, Fla. - Florida is home to thousands of lakes, but Crooked Lake in Polk County is one of the state's highest elevated lakes.

Crooked Lake is 119 feet above sea level and is known for its great water quality, which comes from rainfall and the hills surrounding the lake.  

“Crooked Lake is not a spring-fed lake it’s fed by rainfall and the high hills around the lake," explained Steve Morrison, a board member of the Crooked Lake Defenders. “These high hills store rainwater and slowly filter the rainwater into the lake throughout the rest of the year and during the dry season. The hills serve as a water bank and keeps the lake full.”

The name of the lake originates from its irregular shape, says Morrison.

“Crooked Lake is called that because it is so irregularly shaped. It is formed by several sinkholes in the eastern part of the lake. The western and southern part of the lake is formed by depression marshes sinking and creating a large, marshy, shallow parts of the lake."

One of the main objectives of Morrison and the rest of the board is to keep Crooked Lake clean so it can be a spot for people to come and enjoy for generations.

“There is a lot of history on this lake. People have been coming to this lake for a decades, really for a 100 years, and a lot of people love Crooked Lake and we are trying to make sure we take care of this lake in the future, so future generations will be able to enjoy it,” Morrison added.