Kolding Dam Lake is a 10-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Grand Forks County, North Dakota with a maximum depth of 24 feet (8-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Northern Pike. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Grand Forks County, Kolding Dam Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, North Dakota DNR, last sampled 2025-10-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.7 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Average Depth | 7.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1 mi |
Where to stay near Kolding Dam Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Kolding Dam Lake
Water Temperature
Kolding Dam Lake averages about 71°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Oct (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 15 field readings (2015–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kolding Dam Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Grand Forks County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Kolding Dam Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Kolding Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Kolding Dam (completed 1972), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Whisky Ceek-TR; earth-type dam, 71 ft tall and 3,455 ft long.
- Surface area
- 9.8 ac
- Normal storage
- 73.5 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,983 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 11.2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Grand Forks County WRB
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00306 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Kolding Dam Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-09020307-004-L_00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish
Most recent sample: 2025-10-13
Monitoring stations: 1