Lake Ashtabula
Barnes County, North Dakota5,470 acresView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Ashtabula. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
Lake Ashtabula in Barnes County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 348 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Surface area: 5470 acres.
Lake Ashtabula is a 5,470-acre mesotrophic lake in Barnes County, North Dakota. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Barnes County, Lake Ashtabula ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2025-05-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 5,500 acres, Lake Ashtabula is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lake Ashtabula on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lake Ashtabula is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water5,470 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Ashtabula 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 Lake Ashtabula
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Lake Ashtabula, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus 348 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.4 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 348µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 60 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lake Ashtabula
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
5,470 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by ND DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Ashtabula, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Lake AshtabulaPublic
- Lake AshtabulaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Lake Ashtabula
- Mel Rieman Rec2.7 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Ashtabula
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Ashtabula in Barnes 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 Lake Ashtabula
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Lake Ashtabula
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Ashtabula is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Baldhill Dam (completed 1950), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the SHEYENNE RIVER; concrete-type dam, 60 ft tall and 1,800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 5,470 ac
- Normal storage
- 69,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 156,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 8,078 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - St. Paul District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00309 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Lake Ashtabula under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Baldhill Dam NfhValley City · 1.9 mi away · NPDES ND0000132Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
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. Its water-quality measurements are published by ND DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Ashtabula?
- Lake Ashtabula in Barnes County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 348 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Surface area: 5470 acres.
Is Lake Ashtabula safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Ashtabula?
- Lake Ashtabula has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Ashtabula, Lake Ashtabula. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Ashtabula?
- Lake Ashtabula has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Ashtabula?
- Lake Ashtabula has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Mel Rieman Rec. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Lake Ashtabula across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Dakota's top lakes, each with its readings
North Dakota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Other Lakes in North Dakota
Mesotrophic Lakes in North Dakota
Where this data comes from
556 measurements from 3 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_WQX556 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 (3)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles