Fordville Dam Lake
Grand Forks County, North Dakota197 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 45 ft max depth
- Public access
Fordville Dam Lake in Grand Forks County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 411 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Surface area: 197.1 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.4 ft
- Typical in September
- 58°F
- Max depth
- ~45 ft est.
- Area
- 197 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Fordville Dam Lake’s letter
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Fordville Dam Lake is a 197-acre mesotrophic lake in Grand Forks County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 45 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Grand Forks County, Fordville Dam Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2024-08-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Fordville Dam Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Fordville Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.4 ft. Phosphorus 411 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.2 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 411 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Fordville Dam Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in Feb (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 105 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fordville Dam Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~45 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 197 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 Fordville Dam 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
- Fordville DamPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Fordville Dam Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +40.5 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.21 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fordville Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fordville Dam (completed 1978), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the South Branch Forest River; earth-type dam, 54 ft tall and 1,875 ft long.
- Surface area
- 197.1 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,185.6 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 10,703.4 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 41.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Grand Forks County WRB
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00386 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Fordville 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-09020308-001-L_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Grand Forks County
Nearby Lakes in Grand Forks County
Frequently asked questions about Fordville Dam Lake
Where is Fordville Dam Lake?
- Fordville Dam Lake is a lake in Grand Forks County, North Dakota. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Fordville Dam Lake?
- Fordville Dam Lake in Grand Forks County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 411 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Surface area: 197.1 acres.
Is Fordville Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Fordville Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Fordville Dam Lake?
- Fordville Dam Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in September, from 105 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fordville Dam Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Fordville Dam Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 45 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 197.1 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Fordville Dam Lake?
- Fordville Dam Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fordville Dam. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fordville Dam Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Dakota's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Other Grade C Lakes in North Dakota
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Where this data comes from
125 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX125 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 NO3 E ~ Nitrate in Water- Cadmium Reduction
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
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