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Fisheries staff conducting dissolved oxygen test on frozen lake

Winterkill Watch List (2023)

(Last Updated 06/08/2023)

Department staff compiled a list of lakes with low levels of dissolved oxygen during the winter.

While some of these lakes may not suffer any winterkill, many may suffer some level of winterkill. Winterkill severity may range from a partial kill, where significant numbers of fish died, to a total kill, where all fish died.

Some lakes have already been sampled to confirm winterkills. Unfortunately, the long list of lakes coupled with a late spring won’t allowed special winterkill assessments at all lakes on the list, and many won’t be fully evaluated until standard netting surveys are completed this summer.

Lakes that have experienced some level of winterkill are noted. Minor fish kills that should not affect fishing quality, as well as many community ponds that have been restocked with catchable fish, are not listed below.

Winterkill Watch List (Last Updated 06/08/2023)
CountyWater BodyConfirmed Winterkill
BarnesClauson Lake 
BarnesIsland Lake*
BottineauCarbury Dam 
BowmanKalina Dam*
BowmanLutz Dam 
BowmanSpring Lake*
BurkePowers Lake 
BurleighMitchell Lake 
CassCasselton Reservoir*
DickeyPheasant Lake*
DickeyTAD Lake*
DickeyWilson Dam*
EddyBattle Lake 
EmmonsBaumgartner Lake*
EmmonsBraddock Dam*
EmmonsGoose Lake (Emmons County)*
EmmonsJake's Lake*
FosterJuanita Lake*
GriggsRed Willow Lake 
HettingerBlickensderfer Dam 
HettingerCastle Rock Dam*
HettingerLarson Lake*
KidderDeer Lake*
KidderEtta-Alkaline Complex*
KidderFrettim Lake*
KidderGeneva, Lake*
KidderLake #5*
KidderLee Leno Lake*
KidderLeno Lake*
KidderRafferty Lake*
KidderRanch Lake*
KidderSchumacher Lake*
KidderSeil Lake 
KidderTrautman Lake*
LaMoureAlfred Lake 
LaMoureEast Kalmbach Lake 
LaMoureKalmbach Lake 
LaMoureLimesand-Seefeldt Dam 
LaMoureS. Flood Lake 
LaMoureSchlenker Dam*
LoganBeaver Lake*
LoganErickson Lake 
LoganLogan (Mueller) WMA*
LoganNorth Lake Napoleon*
LoganWentz WPA*
LoganWest Lake Napoleon*
McHenryGeorge Lake *
McIntoshBecker-Schlepp Lake*
McIntoshClear Lake*
McIntoshMcIntosh WMA*
McLeanBrush Lake*
McLeanCrooked Lake*
McLeanLong Lake*
McLeanScooby Lake 
MortonCrown Butte Dam*
MortonDanzig Dam 
MountrailClearwater Lake 
PierceBuffalo Lake (Pierce County) 
PierceLesmeister Lake*
RansomLone Tree Lake*
RichlandBisek Slough*
SargentBergh Slough*
SargentDeuce Lake*
SargentFiala Lake*
Sargent Tewaukon Lake*
SargentTosse Slough*
SheridanBender Lake 
SheridanCoal Mine Lake 
SheridanMiller Lake*
SheridanMud Lake 
SheridanRichard, Lake*
SheridanWolf Lake*
SlopeCedar Lake*
SteeleFinley Dam (Lynch Lake) 
Steele North Golden Lake*
StutsmanCrystal Springs Lake 
StutsmanCyzewski Lake 
StutsmanFox Lake (Stutsman) 
StutsmanGaier Lake 
StutsmanPleasant Lake*
StutsmanStirton Lake, North 
StutsmanStreeter Lake 
StutsmanSunday Lake*
StutsmanWanzek Slough*
StutsmanZimmerman Lake*
WardNorth Carlson Lake*
WellsGoose Lake (Wells County)*
WellsHarvey Dam*
WellsHeaton Slough Complex 
WellsSykeston Dam 
WilliamsCottonwood Lake 
WilliamsKettle Lake*
WilliamsMcLeod (Ray) Reservoir