Where is Cottonwood Lake?

Cottonwood Lake is a lake in Williams County, North Dakota. Its water-quality measurements are published by ND DEQ and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Cottonwood Lake?

Cottonwood Lake has a maximum depth of 13.4 feet and an average depth of 9.2 feet. The lake covers 281 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Cottonwood Lake?

Cottonwood Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cottonwood Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Cottonwood Lake?

Cottonwood Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by North Dakota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Cottonwood Lake

Williams County, North Dakota281 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from ND DEQ for this lake.

Max depth

13.4 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

281 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

5.4 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
13 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Cottonwood Lake in Williams County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 13.4 ft. Surface area: 281 acres.

Loading map…

Cottonwood Lake is a 281-acre lake in Williams County, North Dakota with a maximum depth of 13 feet (9-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Cottonwood Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

No reading

Recreation use not supported

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cottonwood Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Cottonwood Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

Get alerts for Cottonwood Lake →

Water quality measurements for Cottonwood Lake

These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Cottonwood Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Cottonwood Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

13.4 ft

Average depth

9.2 ft

Surface area

281 acres

Shoreline

5.4 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by ND DEQ

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Cottonwood LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Cottonwood Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cottonwood Lake in Williams 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Cottonwood Lake

Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at North Dakota’s top lakes →

Follow Cottonwood Lake’s readings

Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.

Or email

Fishing Cottonwood Lake

→ Cottonwood Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Cottonwood Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-10110102-001-L_00 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Williams County

Holm Lake5.1 miView →Alkali Lake6.1 miView →Johnny Anderson Slough9.3 miView →Lone Tree Lake—View →Green Lake8.2 miView →Kettle Lake5.3 ft clear · Eutrophic8.2 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Cottonwood Lake

Where is Cottonwood Lake?: Cottonwood Lake is a lake in Williams County, North Dakota. Its water-quality measurements are published by ND DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cottonwood Lake?: Cottonwood Lake in Williams County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 13.4 ft. Surface area: 281 acres.
Is Cottonwood Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cottonwood Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Cottonwood Lake?: Cottonwood Lake has a maximum depth of 13.4 feet and an average depth of 9.2 feet. The lake covers 281 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Cottonwood Lake?: Cottonwood Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cottonwood Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cottonwood Lake?: Cottonwood Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by North Dakota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.