Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake
Ransom County, North Dakota124 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- Public access
- Limited data
Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake in Ransom County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.3 µg/L. Surface area: 124 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.3 ft
- Typical in October
- 52°F
- Area
- 124 acres
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake’s letter
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Why Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NDDEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake is a 124-acre lake in Ransom County, North Dakota. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2020-10-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 32.3 µg/L. TSI 62.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 32.3 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2020–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 124 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Dead Colt CreekPublic
- Dead Colt CreekPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Dead Colt Creek Dam (completed 1984), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Dead Colt Creek; earth-type dam, 92 ft tall and 1,200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 124 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,208.6 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 8,901.2 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 60 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Ransom County WRB
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00412 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-09020204-005-L_00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake
Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Ransom County
Frequently asked questions about Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake
Where is Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake?
- Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake is a lake in Ransom County, North Dakota. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake?
- Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake in Ransom County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.3 µg/L. Surface area: 124 acres.
Is Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake?
- Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in October, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2020–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake?
- Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dead Colt Creek, Dead Colt Creek. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
9 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_WQX9 samples · 2020
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
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory