Gordon Beach Lake
Rolette County, North Dakota164 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Public access
- Limited data
Gordon Beach Lake in Rolette County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Surface area: 164 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Typical in September
- 59°F
- Area
- 164 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Gordon Beach Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gordon Beach Lake in Rolette 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Gordon Beach Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Gordon Beach Lake → · more North Dakota lake trips
Watch Gordon Beach Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why Gordon Beach Lake has no grade
Gordon Beach Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Gordon Beach Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 1-foot median from 26 readings collected 2020–2025 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. 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.
Gordon Beach Lake is a 164-acre lake in Rolette County, North Dakota. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedBacteria B
Based on E. coli testing, Gordon Beach Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 3.9% of 51 samples across 7 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check North Dakota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water quality measurements for Gordon Beach Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. TSI 77.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 77 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Gordon Beach Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Feb (about 36°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 164 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Gordon Beach Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Gordon Beach Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.01 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +8.3 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.39 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Gordon Beach Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gordon (completed 1960), built primarily for recreation on the Ox Creek; earth-type dam, 10 ft tall and 365 ft long.
- Surface area
- 164 ac
- Normal storage
- 926 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,643 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.43 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BIA
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND01068 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.43 km)
Graded lakes near Gordon Beach Lake
Gordon Beach Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Rolette County
Frequently asked questions about Gordon Beach Lake
Where is Gordon Beach Lake?
- Gordon Beach Lake is a lake in Rolette County, North Dakota. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Gordon Beach Lake?
- Gordon Beach Lake in Rolette County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Surface area: 164 acres.
Is Gordon Beach Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Gordon Beach Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 3.9% of 51 samples across 7 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of B — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Gordon Beach Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check North Dakota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Gordon Beach Lake?
- Gordon Beach Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September, from 34 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Gordon Beach Lake across LakeQuality
More North Dakota Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in North Dakota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in North Dakota
Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Turtle Mountain Environmental Office (Tribal)
TURTLEMT26 samples · 2020–2025
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.
Other records on this page
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish