Custer Mine Pond
McLean County, North Dakota11 acresView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Custer Mine Pond. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Custer Mine Pond in McLean County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 33.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Surface area: 10.7 acres.
Custer Mine Pond is a 11-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in McLean County, North Dakota. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in McLean County, Custer Mine Pond ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2024-10-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Custer Mine Pond is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Custer Mine Pond 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.
Water quality measurements for Custer Mine Pond
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Custer Mine Pond, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 33.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.3 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 33.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.3µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Custer Mine Pond
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
11 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by ND DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Custer Mine Pond, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Custer MinePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Custer Mine Pond
- East Totten Trail Campground (nd)3.2 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
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Stays near Custer Mine Pond
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Fishing Custer Mine Pond
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Custer Mine Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the De Trobriand Gma 1 (completed 1986), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Lake Sakakawea-TR; earth-type dam, 17 ft tall and 265 ft long.
- Surface area
- 10.7 ac
- Normal storage
- 55.8 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 55.8 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.89 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- US Corps Of Engineers
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00427 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.77 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Custer Mine Pond under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Snake Creek Pumping PlantColeharbor · 1.9 mi away · NPDES ND0023892Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in McLean County
Frequently asked questions about Custer Mine Pond
Where is Custer Mine Pond?
- Custer Mine Pond is a lake in McLean 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 Custer Mine Pond?
- Custer Mine Pond in McLean County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 33.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Surface area: 10.7 acres.
Is Custer Mine Pond safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Custer Mine Pond?
- Custer Mine Pond has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Custer Mine. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Custer Mine Pond?
- Custer Mine Pond 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.
Are there campgrounds on Custer Mine Pond?
- Custer Mine Pond has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including East Totten Trail Campground (nd). This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Custer Mine Pond across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX20 samples · 2024
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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles