Mcdowell Dam Lake Water Temperature
Mcdowell Dam Lake in Burleigh County, North Dakota averages about 71°F at the surface in summer — warmest in Aug (~71°F) and coldest in May (~63°F). These are typical values by month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2012–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Mcdowell Dam Lake warm enough to swim?
Pleasant for swimming — the range most people find enjoyable without a wetsuit.
Want more than temperature? Mcdowell Dam Lake scored D on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
Water temperatures at nearby North Dakota lakes
Summer average ~63°F
Summer average ~79°F
Summer average ~64°F
Summer average ~64°F
Summer average ~66°F
Summer average ~69°F
Explore water temperatures
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Mcdowell Dam Lake?
Mcdowell Dam Lake has a typical summer surface temperature of about 71°F. It is usually warmest in August (around 71°F) and coldest in May (around 63°F). These are typical values by month from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2023), not a live reading.
When is Mcdowell Dam Lake warmest?
Surface water at Mcdowell Dam Lake is typically warmest in August, reaching about 71°F. Lake surface temperature lags air temperature by several weeks, so the warmest water usually arrives in mid-to-late summer even though the hottest air can come earlier.
Is Mcdowell Dam Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 71°F, Mcdowell Dam Lake rates as "comfortable" for swimming. Pleasant for swimming — the range most people find enjoyable without a wetsuit.
Where does this Mcdowell Dam Lake water temperature data come from?
Every temperature on this page is a typical (climatological) value computed from real surface-water field readings collected by state and federal agencies and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal — 9 readings from 3 monitoring stations between 2012 and 2023. They describe what is typical for each month, not the temperature right now.
About this data
Water temperatures are a climatology — the typical value for each month, averaged from real surface-water field readings collected by state and federal agencies and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. They tell you what to expect, not the temperature at this moment. Actual conditions vary with recent weather, depth, and time of day.