Mcdowell Dam Lake
Burleigh County, WisconsinEutrophic
Mcdowell Dam Lake is a 60-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Burleigh County, ND. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-10-10. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 10.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 62.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 10.5 µg/L | C |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 59.5 acres |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Burleigh County
Nearby Lakes in Burleigh County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-10130103-014-L_00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2024-10-10
Monitoring stations: 1