North Tamarac Lake
Becker County, Minnesota1,442 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for North Tamarac Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 17 ft max depth
- Public access
North Tamarac Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 1442.3 acres.
North Tamarac Lake is a 1,442-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, North Tamarac Lake ranks #77 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
North Tamarac Lake covers about 1,400 acres in Becker County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around North Tamarac Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What North Tamarac Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Big water1,442 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. North Tamarac Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether North Tamarac Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for North Tamarac Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for North Tamarac Lake, 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 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 21.4 µg/L. TSI 58.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 36µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 21.4µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 58 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about North Tamarac Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
North Tamarac Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Jun (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (65°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full North Tamarac Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
17 ft
Surface area
1,442 acres
Shoreline
12.4 mi
Littoral zone
96%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
13 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,437 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Tamarack Lake (East)Public
- Tamarack Lake (North)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near North Tamarac Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near North Tamarac Lake in Becker County, Minnesota — 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 North Tamarac Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near North Tamarac Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing North Tamarac Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2022–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-9.65 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.95 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
North Tamarac Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN03-0241-02 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about North Tamarac Lake
Where is North Tamarac Lake?
- North Tamarac Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of North Tamarac Lake?
- North Tamarac Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 1442.3 acres.
Is North Tamarac Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. North Tamarac Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of North Tamarac Lake?
- North Tamarac Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is North Tamarac Lake?
- North Tamarac Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 1442.3 acres.
What fish are in North Tamarac Lake?
- Fish species found in North Tamarac Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. North Tamarac Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on North Tamarac Lake?
- North Tamarac Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tamarack Lake (East), Tamarack Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at North Tamarac Lake?
- North Tamarac Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore North Tamarac Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
56 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA56 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory