Wood Lake
Benson County, North DakotaView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- #1 of 5 in the county
- 32 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Wood Lake in Benson County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 5.3 µg/L.
- Typical in September
- 61°F
- Max depth
- ~32 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 5.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Wood Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Benson County, North Dakota with an estimated average depth of about 32 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Benson County, Wood Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDDEQ, last sampled 2023-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 5.3 µg/L. TSI 28. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 5.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 28 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Wood Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Mar (about 33°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 170 field readings (2012–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wood Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~32 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 Wood 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.
Fishing Wood Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +7.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 5 lakes in Benson County
Nearby Lakes in Benson County
Frequently asked questions about Wood Lake
Where is Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake is a lake in Benson County, North Dakota. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake in Benson County, North Dakota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 5.3 µg/L.
Is Wood Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September, from 170 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wood Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Wood Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 32 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Wood Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at North Dakota's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Spirit Lake Tribal EPA Programs
SPIRITLK7 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Depth, fish, and access data from North Dakota Game & Fish