Fort Totten Bay Lake
Benson County, North DakotaView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #3 of 5 in the county
Fort Totten Bay Lake in Benson County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 18.3 µg/L.
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 18.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Fort Totten Bay Lake’s letter
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Fort Totten Bay Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Benson County, North Dakota. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Benson County, Fort Totten Bay Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2023-08-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 18.3 µg/L. TSI 46. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 18.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Fort Totten Bay Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 72°F) and coldest in Jul (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2017–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fort Totten Bay Lake water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Fort Totten Bay Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5.25 µg/L/yr | 4 |
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 5 lakes in Benson County
Nearby Lakes in Benson County
Frequently asked questions about Fort Totten Bay Lake
Where is Fort Totten Bay Lake?
- Fort Totten Bay Lake is a lake in Benson County, North Dakota. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Fort Totten Bay Lake?
- Fort Totten Bay Lake in Benson County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 18.3 µg/L.
Is Fort Totten Bay Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Fort Totten Bay Lake?
- Fort Totten Bay Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Fort Totten Bay Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Spirit Lake Tribal EPA Programs
SPIRITLK16 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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.