Nelson County Lake Quality

North Dakota, 9 lakes, average grade D (Poor)

Nelson County has 9 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. The county-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 3 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.

The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Whitman Dam Lake (B); the most-stressed is Mchugh Slough Lake (F).

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Quick Answers for Nelson County

Cleanest lakes in Nelson County →Cleanest lakes in North Dakota →Safest swimming lakes in North Dakota →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Whitman Dam Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or check the official North Dakota fishing regulations.

Fishing in Nelson County

Nelson County Fishing Guide

Fish species and best-graded lakes in Nelson County

All Lakes in Nelson County

Rank	Lake	Grade	Clarity	Max Depth	Phosphorus
1	Whitman Dam Lake	B	12 ft	20.8 ft	-
2	Mcville Dam Lake	C	6.9 ft	24.7 ft	-
3	West Stump Lake	D	9.8 ft	77.1 ft	-
4	East Stump Lake	D	8.5 ft	-	-
5	Tolna Dam Lake	D	4.9 ft	22.7 ft	-
6	Lake Laretta	D	3.8 ft	24 ft	266 µg/L
7	Western Stump Lake	F	4.3 ft	77.1 ft	154.5 µg/L
8	Eastern Stump Lake	F	4.7 ft	-	142 µg/L
9	Mchugh Slough Lake	F	1.6 ft	-	388.5 µg/L