Northgate Dam Lake
Burke County, North Dakota152 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.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Northgate Dam Lake in Burke County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9.4 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Surface area: 152 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.4 ft
- Typical in September
- 62°F
- Max depth
- ~18 ft est.
- Area
- 152 acres
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Northgate Dam Lake’s letter
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Why Northgate Dam 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 Northgate Dam 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.
Northgate Dam Lake is a 152-acre lake in Burke County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 18 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 2021-10-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Northgate Dam 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. Northgate 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.
Water quality measurements for Northgate Dam Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.4 ft. Chlorophyll-a 6.4 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.4 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Northgate Dam Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in Jan (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 59 field readings (2012–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Northgate Dam Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~18 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~8 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 152 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 Northgate Dam 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
- Northgate DamPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Northgate Dam Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Northgate Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Northgate Dam 2 (completed 1968), built primarily for recreation on the Stoney Run Creek; earth-type dam, 51 ft tall and 1,146 ft long.
- Surface area
- 152 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,280 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 72 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Burke County WRB
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00010 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.07 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Northgate 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-09010002-002-L_00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Northgate Dam Lake
Northgate Dam Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Burke County
Frequently asked questions about Northgate Dam Lake
Where is Northgate Dam Lake?
- Northgate Dam Lake is a lake in Burke 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 Northgate Dam Lake?
- Northgate Dam Lake in Burke County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9.4 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Surface area: 152 acres.
Is Northgate Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Northgate 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 Northgate Dam Lake?
- Northgate Dam Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, from 59 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Northgate Dam Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Northgate Dam Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 18 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 152 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Northgate Dam Lake?
- Northgate Dam Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Northgate Dam. Public access is listed as yes.
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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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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