Gordon Beach Lake
Rolette County, North Dakota164 acresView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Gordon Beach Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Public access
- Limited data
Gordon Beach Lake in Rolette County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Surface area: 164 acres.
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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
No readingBacteria tested: low
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.
Whether Gordon Beach Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Gordon Beach Lake
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Gordon Beach Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. TSI 77.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 77 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Gordon Beach Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (36°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
Surface area
164 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by ND DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Gordon Beach Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
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Fishing Gordon Beach Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+8.3 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.39 µg/L/yr4 years
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)
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. Its water-quality measurements are published by ND DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Gordon Beach Lake?
- Gordon Beach Lake in Rolette County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. 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 is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Gordon Beach Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for North Dakota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach 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.
Can I fish at Gordon Beach Lake?
- Public access to Gordon Beach Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by North Dakota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish