Lake Laretta
Nelson County, North DakotaView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Laretta. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 45 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lake Laretta in Nelson County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 253.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.7 µg/L.
Lake Laretta is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Nelson County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 45 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Nelson County, Lake Laretta ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2023-10-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Laretta 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 Laretta
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Lake Laretta, 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 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 253.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 21.7 µg/L. TSI 68.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 254µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 21.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 68 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Laretta
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Laretta typically sits around 48°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Feb (about 35°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (35°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 478 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Laretta water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~45 ft est.
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. North Dakota has not published bathymetry for Lake Laretta.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
30 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
1,063 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
8.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,499 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Laretta
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Laretta in Nelson 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lake Laretta are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Laretta
Prices for Oct 23–25, 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 whole trip? See where to stay at North Dakota’s top lakes →
Follow Lake Laretta’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Lake Laretta
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2023).
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-12.61 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-4.63 µg/L/yr4 years
Nearby Lakes in Nelson County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Laretta
Where is Lake Laretta?
- Lake Laretta is a lake in Nelson 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 Laretta?
- Lake Laretta in Nelson County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 253.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.7 µg/L.
Is Lake Laretta safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Laretta?
- Lake Laretta typically sits around 48°F at the surface in October, from 478 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Laretta?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Laretta, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 45 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Lake Laretta across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Devils Lake Region area
Where to stay at North Dakota's top lakes, each with its readings
North Dakota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in North Dakota
Other Lakes in North Dakota
Eutrophic Lakes in North Dakota
Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS North Dakota Water Science Center
USGS-ND36 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Plant pigments, sonication & 445
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish