Rice Lake is a lake in Ward County, North Dakota. Its water-quality measurements are published by ND DEQ and shown on this page as reported.

Are there boat ramps on Rice Lake?

Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rice Lake (Ward). Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Rice Lake?

Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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.

Rice Lake

Ward County, North Dakota183 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from ND DEQ for this lake.

Area

183 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

3.6 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Rice Lake in Ward County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Surface area: 183 acres.

Loading map…

Rice Lake is a 183-acre lake in Ward County, North Dakota. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Rice Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rice 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.

Whether Rice 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Bismarck →

Get alerts for Rice Lake →

Water quality measurements for Rice Lake

These are the measurements ND DEQ publishes for Rice Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Rice Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Surface area

183 acres

Shoreline

3.6 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by ND DEQ

No bathymetric survey has been published for Rice Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Rice Lake (Ward)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 Rice Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rice Lake in Ward 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 Rice Lake

Prices for Oct 16–18, 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 →

Follow Rice Lake’s readings

Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.

Or email

Fishing Rice Lake

→ Rice Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Rice Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)Oxygen depletion (low DO)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-10110101-012-L_00 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Ward County

Tangedahl Lake1.3 miView →Lake Vernon2.3 miView →North Carlson Lake3.7 ft clear · Eutrophic6.5 miView →Mellam Lake5.8 miView →Nelson and Carlson Lakes7.3 miView →Mork Lake8.6 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Rice Lake

Where is Rice Lake?: Rice Lake is a lake in Ward 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 Rice Lake?: Rice Lake in Ward County, North Dakota has water-quality measurements published by ND DEQ, shown here as reported. Surface area: 183 acres.
Is Rice Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rice 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.
Are there boat ramps on Rice Lake?: Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rice Lake (Ward). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Rice Lake?: Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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.