Lake Metigoshe
Bottineau County, North Dakota1,620 acresView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Metigoshe. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Metigoshe in Bottineau County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.1 µg/L. Surface area: 1620 acres.
Lake Metigoshe is a 1,620-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Bottineau County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 37 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Bottineau County, Lake Metigoshe ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2021-10-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lake Metigoshe covers about 1,600 acres in Bottineau County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Lake Metigoshe on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Lake Metigoshe is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water1,620 acres
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 Metigoshe 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 Metigoshe
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Lake Metigoshe, 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 5.4 ft. Chlorophyll-a 9.1 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.4ft | 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) | 9.1µg/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. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Metigoshe
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Metigoshe typically sits around 51°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 60°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 44°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (44°F) to its warmest (66°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Metigoshe water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~37 ft est.
Surface area
1,620 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by ND DEQ
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 Metigoshe.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
66 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
17.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
2,136 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.
Recreation & Access
- Lake MetigoshePublic
- Lake MetigoshePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Metigoshe
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Metigoshe in Bottineau 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 Metigoshe
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Metigoshe → · more North Dakota lake trips
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Fishing Lake Metigoshe
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Metigoshe is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Metigoshe Dam (completed 1961), built primarily for recreation on the Oak Creek; earth-type dam, 9 ft tall and 76 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,620 ac
- Normal storage
- 16,100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 21,650 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 59 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Oak Creek WRB
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00024 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Bottineau County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Metigoshe
Where is Lake Metigoshe?
- Lake Metigoshe is a lake in Bottineau 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 Metigoshe?
- Lake Metigoshe in Bottineau County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.1 µg/L. Surface area: 1620 acres.
Is Lake Metigoshe 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 Metigoshe?
- Lake Metigoshe typically sits around 51°F at the surface in October, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Metigoshe?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Metigoshe, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 37 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 1620 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Metigoshe?
- Lake Metigoshe has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Metigoshe, Lake Metigoshe. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Metigoshe?
- Lake Metigoshe 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.
Explore Lake Metigoshe 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
Eutrophic Lakes in North Dakota
Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX24 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory