Traverse Lake
Roberts County, South DakotaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- #3 of 4 in the county
- Public access
Traverse Lake in Roberts County, South Dakota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 172.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Typical in September
- 69°F
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 172.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 36.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Traverse Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Traverse Lake in Roberts County, South 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Traverse Lake are listed below.
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Watch Traverse Lake’s letter
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Traverse Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Roberts County, South Dakota. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Roberts County, Traverse Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, SD DANR, last sampled 2022-09-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Traverse Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch5 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Based on E. coli testing, Traverse Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 10 samples across 2 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check South Dakota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 172.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 36.3 µg/L. TSI 67. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 172.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 36.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Traverse Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Sep (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2021–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Traverse Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Jensen Public Water AccessPublic
- Waldo Public Water AccessPublic
- Traverse Lake #4, Brown ValleyPublic
- Traverse Lake #3Public
- Traverse Lake #1Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Traverse Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.53 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.25 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +13.55 µg/L/yr | 3 |
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Roberts County
Nearby Lakes in Roberts County
Frequently asked questions about Traverse Lake
Where is Traverse Lake?
- Traverse Lake is a lake in Roberts County, South Dakota. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Traverse Lake?
- Traverse Lake in Roberts County, South Dakota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 172.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.3 µg/L.
Is Traverse Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Traverse Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 10 samples across 2 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Traverse Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check South Dakota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Traverse Lake?
- Traverse Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Traverse Lake?
- Traverse Lake has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Jensen Public Water Access, Waldo Public Water Access, Traverse Lake #4, Brown Valley, Traverse Lake #3, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Traverse Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at South Dakota's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
23 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA23 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory