Is it safe to swim in lakes near Fargo?

That is a call for North Dakota's water agency and the county health department, who post current advisories. 1 lakes within driving distance of Fargo pass the low-algae screen (favourable clarity and nutrient readings, chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L, public access). The top pick on those readings is Turtle Lake in Becker County, 29.9 miles away. Bacteria can spike after heavy rain, so always check the current advisories before you swim.

Which lakes near Fargo have bacteria testing?

None of the lakes near Fargo have enough recent bacteria samples on record, so these lakes are screened on water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a) instead. Always check posted advisories before swimming.

What is the cleanest swimming lake near Fargo?

Turtle Lake (Becker County) is the cleanest swim lake near Fargo on measured clarity and nutrients, with 23 ft of water clarity.

Swimming Lakes Near Fargo, ND: Clarity, Algae and Bacteria Readings (2026)

1 lakes within driving distance of Fargo, North Dakota pass the low-algae screen — favourable clarity and nutrient readings, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. Filtered for the clearest, lowest-nutrient readings in the sampling record, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Not a swimming clearance: always check local advisories on the day you swim.

Lakes near Fargo are sparser (1 measured lakes within reach), so the choices are limited. Turtle Lake carries the lowest nutrient and algae readings of them.

Filtered for swimming, the nearby-lake list narrows further. swimming-specific signals, fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion, interact with the water-quality readings in different ways depending on the use case.

#	Lake	County	Bacteria	Distance	Clarity	Depth
1	Turtle Lake	Becker	Low algae	29.9 mi	23 ft	73 ft

Other activities near Fargo

Fishing near Fargo →Kayaking near Fargo →Boating near Fargo →All lakes near Fargo →

Where to stay near Fargo

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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.