Lake Ashtabula
Barnes County, North DakotaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #2 of 3 in the county
- Public access
Lake Ashtabula in Barnes County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 291 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3.4 ft
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 291 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.3 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Ashtabula’s letter
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Lake Ashtabula is a mesotrophic lake in Barnes County, North Dakota. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2025. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Barnes County, Lake Ashtabula ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2025-05-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Lake Ashtabula Water Quality Report Card (2026)
A printable one-page report card for Lake Ashtabula: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
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. Lake Ashtabula is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 3.4 ft. Phosphorus 291 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.3 µg/L. TSI 63. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 291 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM from gauge 05057500 (Lake Ashtabula at Baldhill Dam, ND). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Fishing Lake Ashtabula
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Ashtabula 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-09020203-001-L_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Barnes County
Nearby Lakes in Barnes County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Ashtabula
Where is Lake Ashtabula?
- Lake Ashtabula is a lake in Barnes 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 Lake Ashtabula?
- Lake Ashtabula in Barnes County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 291 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L.
Is Lake Ashtabula safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Ashtabula is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water level at Lake Ashtabula?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Lake Ashtabula is 1267.1 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM at gauge 05057500. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Explore Lake Ashtabula 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
507 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX507 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
- 4500 NO3 E ~ Nitrate in Water- Cadmium Reduction
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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