Trenton Lake
Williams County, North DakotaView 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.
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Trenton Lake in Williams County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~30 ft est.
- Phosphorus
- 44 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 4.2 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Trenton Lake’s letter
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Why Trenton 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 Trenton Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
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.
Trenton Lake is a lake in Williams County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 30 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 2024-06-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Trenton 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Trenton Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.2 µg/L. TSI 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 44 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.2 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~30 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| 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 Trenton 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
- Trenton LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Trenton Lake
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Trenton Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Safuels X Renewable Fuels FacilityWilliston · 4.1 mi away · NPDES ND0027031Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Trenton Lake
Trenton Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Williams County
Frequently asked questions about Trenton Lake
Where is Trenton Lake?
- Trenton Lake is a lake in Williams 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 Trenton Lake?
- Trenton Lake in Williams County, North Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L.
Is Trenton Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Trenton Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Trenton Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 30 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Trenton Lake?
- Trenton Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Trenton Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Trenton Lake across LakeQuality
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Eutrophic Lakes in North Dakota
Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North Dakota Department Of Environmental Quality
21NDHDWQ_WQX10 samples · 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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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