Lake Tschida
Grant County, North Dakota10,953 acresView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Tschida. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
Lake Tschida in Grant County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.3 µg/L. Surface area: 10953 acres.
Lake Tschida is a 10,953-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Grant County, North Dakota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Grant County, Lake Tschida ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 11,000 acres, Lake Tschida is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Lake Tschida, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Lake Tschida is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Big water10,953 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. Lake Tschida is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Tschida 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 Tschida
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Lake Tschida, 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 4.6 ft. Phosphorus 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.3 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 33µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.3µg/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. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Tschida
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Tschida typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°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 (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 432 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Tschida water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
10,953 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by ND DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Tschida, so its depth is not documented here.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Tschida
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Tschida in Grant 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 Tschida
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Lake Tschida
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-7 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-4.65 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Tschida is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Heart Butte Dam (completed 1949), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the HEART RIVER; earth-type dam, 142 ft tall and 1,850 ft long.
- Surface area
- 10,953 ac
- Normal storage
- 75,785 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 451,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,714.46 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00149 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Tschida is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-10130202-001-L_00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Grant County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Tschida
Where is Lake Tschida?
- Lake Tschida is a lake in Grant 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 Tschida?
- Lake Tschida in Grant County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.3 µg/L. Surface area: 10953 acres.
Is Lake Tschida safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Tschida is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Tschida?
- Lake Tschida typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 432 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Lake Tschida?
- Public access to Lake Tschida is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Tschida across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
178 measurements from 6 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_WQX157 samples · 2021–2025 - USGS North Dakota Water Science Center
USGS-ND21 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Plant pigments, sonication & 445
- 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 (6)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish