Bowman-Haley Dam Lake
Bowman County, North Dakota1,750 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #4 of 4 in the county
- 76 ft max depth
- Public access
Bowman-Haley Dam Lake in Bowman County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 96.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.2 µg/L. Surface area: 1750 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Typical in September
- 64°F
- Max depth
- ~76 ft est.
- Area
- 1,750 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 96.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 13.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Bowman-Haley Dam Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bowman-Haley Dam Lake in Bowman County, North Dakota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Bowman-Haley Dam Lake are listed below.
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Bowman-Haley Dam Lake is a 1,750-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Bowman County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 76 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Bowman County, Bowman-Haley Dam Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Bowman-Haley Dam Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water1,750 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Bowman-Haley Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 96.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 13.2 µg/L. TSI 61. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 96.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Bowman-Haley Dam Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 731 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bowman-Haley Dam Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~76 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,750 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. North Dakota has not published bathymetry for Bowman-Haley Dam Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Bowman-Haley DamPublic
- Bowman-Haley DamPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Bowman-Haley Dam Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.45 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5.15 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.21 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bowman-Haley Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bowman-Haley Dam (completed 1967), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the NORTH FORK GRAND RIVER; earth-type dam, 79 ft tall and 5,730 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,750 ac
- Normal storage
- 19,780 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 171,838 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 471 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Omaha District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00147 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Bowman-Haley Dam Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-10130301-001-L_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 4 lakes in Bowman County
Nearby Lakes in Bowman County
Frequently asked questions about Bowman-Haley Dam Lake
Where is Bowman-Haley Dam Lake?
- Bowman-Haley Dam Lake is a lake in Bowman County, North Dakota. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bowman-Haley Dam Lake?
- Bowman-Haley Dam Lake in Bowman County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 96.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.2 µg/L. Surface area: 1750 acres.
Is Bowman-Haley Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Bowman-Haley Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bowman-Haley Dam Lake?
- Bowman-Haley Dam Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 731 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bowman-Haley Dam Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Bowman-Haley Dam Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 76 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 1750 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Bowman-Haley Dam Lake?
- Bowman-Haley Dam Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bowman-Haley Dam, Bowman-Haley Dam. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bowman-Haley Dam Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Dakota's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
228 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX228 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
- 4500 NO3 E ~ Nitrate in Water- Cadmium Reduction
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory