Clausen Springs Lake
Barnes County, North Dakota43 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- 31 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Clausen Springs Lake in Barnes County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.6 µg/L. Surface area: 42.7 acres.
- Typical in September
- 56°F
- Max depth
- ~31 ft est.
- Area
- 43 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 12.6 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Clausen Springs Lake’s letter
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Clausen Springs Lake is a 43-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Barnes County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 31 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2020. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Barnes County, Clausen Springs Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2020-10-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Clausen Springs Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 12.6 µg/L. TSI 55. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Clausen Springs Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 65°F) and coldest in Jan (about 35°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 53 field readings (2019–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Clausen Springs Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~31 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 43 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 Clausen Springs 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
- Clausen SpringsPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Clausen Springs Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Clausen Springs Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Clausen Springs Dam (completed 1967), built primarily for recreation on the Spring Creek; earth-type dam, 52 ft tall and 700 ft long.
- Surface area
- 42.7 ac
- Normal storage
- 639.6 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,274.6 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 86 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Barnes County WRB
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00029 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Barnes County
Nearby Lakes in Barnes County
Frequently asked questions about Clausen Springs Lake
Where is Clausen Springs Lake?
- Clausen Springs Lake is a lake in Barnes County, North Dakota. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Clausen Springs Lake?
- Clausen Springs Lake in Barnes County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.6 µg/L. Surface area: 42.7 acres.
Is Clausen Springs Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Clausen Springs Lake?
- Clausen Springs Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in September, from 53 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Clausen Springs Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Clausen Springs Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 31 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 42.7 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Clausen Springs Lake?
- Clausen Springs Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clausen Springs. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Clausen Springs Lake across LakeQuality
13.9 mi away · 8 ft
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
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX6 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
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
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