Mcdowell Dam Lake
Burleigh County, North Dakota60 acresView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Mcdowell Dam Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Public access
- Limited data
Mcdowell Dam Lake in Burleigh County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.5 µg/L. Surface area: 59.5 acres.
Mcdowell Dam Lake is a 60-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Burleigh County, North Dakota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2024-10-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Mcdowell Dam Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Mcdowell Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Mcdowell Dam Lake 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 Mcdowell Dam Lake
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Mcdowell Dam Lake, 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 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.5 µg/L. TSI 62.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 57µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 62 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Mcdowell Dam Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Mcdowell Dam Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2012–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mcdowell Dam Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
60 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by ND DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Mcdowell Dam Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- McDowell DamPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mcdowell Dam Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mcdowell Dam Lake in Burleigh 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 Mcdowell Dam Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Mcdowell Dam Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 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 Mcdowell Dam Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Mcdowell Dam Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Mcdowell Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Mcdowell Dam (completed 1976), built primarily for recreation on the Apple Creek-TR; earth-type dam, 59 ft tall and 1,370 ft long.
- Surface area
- 59.5 ac
- Normal storage
- 840 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,479.6 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6.15 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Burleigh County WRB
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00039 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Mcdowell Dam Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-10130103-014-L_00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Burleigh County
Frequently asked questions about Mcdowell Dam Lake
Where is Mcdowell Dam Lake?
- Mcdowell Dam Lake is a lake in Burleigh 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 Mcdowell Dam Lake?
- Mcdowell Dam Lake in Burleigh County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.5 µg/L. Surface area: 59.5 acres.
Is Mcdowell Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Mcdowell Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Mcdowell Dam Lake?
- Mcdowell Dam Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Mcdowell Dam Lake?
- Mcdowell Dam Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include McDowell Dam. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Mcdowell Dam Lake?
- Mcdowell Dam Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Mcdowell Dam Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in North Dakota
Other Lakes in North Dakota
Eutrophic Lakes in North Dakota
Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX21 samples · 2020–2024
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 (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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory