| Lake Poinsett | |
|---|---|
  Lake Poinsett  Lake Poinsett | |
| Location | Brevard /Orange /Osceola counties, nearCocoa, Florida,U.S. |
| Coordinates | 28°20′N80°49′W / 28.333°N 80.817°W /28.333; -80.817 |
| Primary inflows | Taylor Creek,St. Johns River |
| Primary outflows | St. Johns River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 2.74 miles (4.41 km) |
| Max. width | 5.43 miles (8.74 km) |
| Surface area | 4,334 acres (18 km2) |
| Surface elevation | 13 feet (4 m) |
| Islands | Variousislands andislets |
Lake Poinsett is alake inBrevard County, Florida,United States, nearRockledge andCocoa, with small portions inOrange County andOsceola County. It is the second-largest lake in Brevard County, afterLake Washington, though it is actually the smallest lake in Osceola County. It is the widest lake in Brevard County, with a distance of 5 miles (8 km) at its widest point. At the eastern portion of the lake, achannel connects the lake to Lake Florence and Barnett Lake.
Lake Poinsett and all the other lakes flow northward as part of theSt. Johns River system.
It is where the Saint Johns River runs along county lines north of the lake. It is part of the St. Johns River Water Management District. At the extreme northwest corner of Lake Poinsett isTaylor Creek, a tributary of theSt. Johns River.
The lake is named forJoel Roberts Poinsett, a diplomat who brought thepoinsettia to the United States.
Poinsett Shores & Poinsett Acres are a boating community located on the northeastern side of Lake Poinsett, at the southern end of formerState Road 520A (Lake Poinsett Road). It is one of two communities that surround Lake Poinsett, the other being WoodMoore Estates on the east-northeastern shore. The community is about one and a half square miles.
250,000 fish were killed in July 2002, when a heavy rainstorm washed in phosphorus-rich runoff from lawns in the area as well as from septic tanks.[4]