Eastern Stump Lake
Nelson County, North DakotaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #3 of 4 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Eastern Stump Lake in Nelson County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 148.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.1 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 4.7 ft
- Typical in September
- 66°F
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Eastern Stump Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Eastern Stump Lake in Nelson 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 Eastern Stump Lake are listed below.
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Eastern Stump Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Nelson County, North Dakota. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Nelson County, Eastern Stump Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2023-10-11. 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 4.7 ft. Phosphorus 148.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 39.1 µg/L. TSI 66. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 148.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 39.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Sep 7, 2026, 3:15 PM from gauge 05056665 (EASTERN STUMP LAKE NEAR LAKOTA, ND). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
→ Eastern Stump Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Water Temperature
Eastern Stump Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 58°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 66°F) and coldest in Jan (about 33°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 887 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Eastern Stump Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Eastern Stump Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -5.18 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +30.25 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.43 µg/L/yr | 4 |
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Nelson County
Nearby Lakes in Nelson County
Frequently asked questions about Eastern Stump Lake
Where is Eastern Stump Lake?
- Eastern Stump Lake is a lake in Nelson 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 Eastern Stump Lake?
- Eastern Stump Lake in Nelson County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 148.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.1 µg/L.
Is Eastern Stump Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Eastern Stump Lake?
- Eastern Stump Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 887 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What is the water level at Eastern Stump Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Eastern Stump Lake is 1451.25 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Sep 7, 2026, 3:15 PM at gauge 05056665. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Explore Eastern Stump Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
37 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS North Dakota Water Science Center
USGS-ND37 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Plant pigments, sonication & 445
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.