Powers Lake
Mountrail County, North DakotaView mapDirections
ND DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Powers Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Public access
- Limited data
Powers Lake in Mountrail County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 184 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.9 µg/L.
Powers Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Mountrail County, North Dakota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Mountrail County, Powers Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2024-05-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Powers Lake 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 Powers Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Powers Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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. Powers Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Powers 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 Powers Lake
These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Powers 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 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 184 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.9 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 184µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 61 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Powers Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Powers Lake typically sits around 45°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 64°F) and coldest in Nov (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 (64°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 140 field readings (2012–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Powers Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Powers LakePublic
- Powers LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Powers Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Powers Lake in Mountrail 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Powers Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 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 North Dakota’s top lakes →
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Fishing Powers Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.5 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Powers Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-10110101-001-L_00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Mountrail County
Frequently asked questions about Powers Lake
Where is Powers Lake?
- Powers Lake is a lake in Mountrail 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 Powers Lake?
- Powers Lake in Mountrail County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 184 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.9 µg/L.
Is Powers Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Powers Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Powers Lake?
- Powers Lake typically sits around 45°F at the surface in October, from 140 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Powers Lake?
- Powers Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Powers Lake, Powers Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Powers Lake?
- Powers 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 North Dakota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Powers Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX26 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
- 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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory