Wheaton Lake
Rolette County, North Dakota164 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 6 in the county
- Public access
Wheaton Lake in Rolette County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Surface area: 164 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Typical in September
- 60°F
- Area
- 164 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Wheaton Lake’s letter
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Wheaton Lake is a 164-acre mesotrophic lake in Rolette County, North Dakota. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Rolette County, Wheaton Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2025-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Wheaton Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.3 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Wheaton Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in Feb (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 84 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 164 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Wheaton Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Wheaton LakePublic
- Wheaton LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Wheaton Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.01 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +8.3 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.39 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wheaton Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gordon (completed 1960), built primarily for recreation on the Ox Creek; earth-type dam, 10 ft tall and 365 ft long.
- Surface area
- 164 ac
- Normal storage
- 926 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,643 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.43 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BIA
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND01068 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.86 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 6 lakes in Rolette County
Nearby Lakes in Rolette County
Frequently asked questions about Wheaton Lake
Where is Wheaton Lake?
- Wheaton Lake is a lake in Rolette County, North Dakota. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wheaton Lake?
- Wheaton Lake in Rolette County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Surface area: 164 acres.
Is Wheaton Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Wheaton Lake?
- Wheaton Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September, from 84 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Wheaton Lake?
- Wheaton Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wheaton Lake, Wheaton Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wheaton Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at North Dakota's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Other Grade A Lakes in North Dakota
Mesotrophic Lakes in North Dakota
Where this data comes from
108 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Turtle Mountain Environmental Office (Tribal)
TURTLEMT108 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- GS_UNKNOWN
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory