Pelican Lake
Ramsey County, North DakotaView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Pelican Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Pelican Lake in Ramsey County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 396 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.2 µg/L.
Pelican Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, North Dakota. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Pelican Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2025-10-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pelican Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Pelican Lake
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Pelican 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 3.7 ft. Phosphorus 396 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 21.2 µg/L. TSI 70.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 396µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 21.2µg/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. | 70 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Pelican Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pelican Lake typically sits around 45°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in Feb (about 33°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (33°F) to its warmest (67°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 125 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pelican Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pelican Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pelican Lake in Ramsey County, North Dakota — 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 Pelican Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Pelican Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Pelican Lake → · more North Dakota lake trips
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Fishing Pelican Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+56.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-4.8 µg/L/yr4 years
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Pelican Lake
Where is Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake is a lake in Ramsey County, North Dakota. Its water-quality measurements are published by ND DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake in Ramsey County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 396 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.2 µg/L.
Is Pelican Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake typically sits around 45°F at the surface in October, from 125 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Pelican Lake?
- Public access to Pelican Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by North Dakota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Pelican Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
59 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX59 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 NO3 E ~ Nitrate in Water- Cadmium Reduction
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.