Buffalo Lake
Pierce County, North Dakota990 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Buffalo Lake in Pierce County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 219.5 µg/L. Surface area: 990 acres.
- Clarity
- 0.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 67°F
- Max depth
- ~37 ft est.
- Area
- 990 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 219.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Buffalo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Buffalo Lake in Pierce 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 Buffalo Lake are listed below.
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Buffalo Lake is a 990-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Pierce County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 37 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Pierce County, Buffalo Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2021-10-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Buffalo 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: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 0.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 219.5 µg/L. TSI 88. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 219.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 88 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Buffalo Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in Oct (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 38 field readings (2020–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Buffalo Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~37 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~21 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 990 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 Buffalo 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.
Fishing Buffalo Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.15 m/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +126.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Buffalo Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buffalo Lake Dam (completed 1930), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Buffalo Coulee; earth-type dam, 12 ft tall and 4,250 ft long.
- Surface area
- 990 ac
- Normal storage
- 5,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 11,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 384 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00347 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Buffalo 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-09020202-003-L_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Pierce County
Nearby Lakes in Pierce County
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Lake
Where is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake is a lake in Pierce County, North Dakota. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake in Pierce County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 219.5 µg/L. Surface area: 990 acres.
Is Buffalo Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August, from 38 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2020–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Buffalo Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Buffalo Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 37 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 990 acres.
Explore Buffalo 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
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX26 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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