North Golden Lake
Steele County, North Dakota313 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.
- 27 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
North Golden Lake in Steele County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.8 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.5 µg/L. Surface area: 313 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.8 ft
- Typical in October
- 49°F
- Max depth
- ~27 ft est.
- Area
- 313 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 18.5 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch North Golden Lake’s letter
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Why North Golden 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 North Golden 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.
North Golden Lake is a 313-acre lake in Steele County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 27 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2020-10-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What North Golden Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for North Golden Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.8 ft. Chlorophyll-a 18.5 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 18.5 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
North Golden Lake typically sits around 49°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2020–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full North Golden Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~27 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 313 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 North Golden Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
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
- North Golden LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing North Golden Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
North Golden Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the North Golden Lake (completed 1957), built primarily for recreation on the Beaver Creek; earth-type dam, 13 ft tall and 200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 313 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,950 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,950 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.25 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Steele County Park Board
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00410 · Operator website
Graded lakes near North Golden Lake
North Golden Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Steele County
Frequently asked questions about North Golden Lake
Where is North Golden Lake?
- North Golden Lake is a lake in Steele 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 North Golden Lake?
- North Golden Lake in Steele County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.8 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.5 µg/L. Surface area: 313 acres.
Is North Golden Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of North Golden Lake?
- North Golden Lake typically sits around 49°F at the surface in October, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2020–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is North Golden Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers North Golden Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 27 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 313 acres.
Are there boat ramps on North Golden Lake?
- North Golden Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Golden Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore North Golden Lake 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 grade
North Dakota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX9 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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