Moores Lake
Dickey County, North Dakota29 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Limited data
Moores Lake in Dickey County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Surface area: 29.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 65°F
- Area
- 29 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.4 µg/L
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Watch Moores Lake’s letter
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Why Moores Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Moores Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NDDEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Moores Lake is a 29-acre lake in Dickey County, North Dakota.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2021-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Moores Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft. Chlorophyll-a 2.4 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.4 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Moores Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Moores Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 29 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Moores Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Moores Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Moores Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Moores Dam (completed 1949), built primarily for recreation on the Elm River (James)-TR; earth-type dam, 21 ft tall and 1,065 ft long.
- Surface area
- 29.2 ac
- Normal storage
- 295.5 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 495.8 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.63 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Dickey County WRB
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00271 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Dickey County
Frequently asked questions about Moores Lake
Where is Moores Lake?
- Moores Lake is a lake in Dickey County, North Dakota. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Moores Lake?
- Moores Lake in Dickey County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Surface area: 29.2 acres.
Is Moores Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Moores Lake?
- Moores Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Moores Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX8 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish