Photographs of Lake Sakakawea via Wikimedia Commons.
Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.
Lake Sakakawea covers 307,000 acres in North Dakota and drops to 180 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1953 and managed by USACE. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 25 feet, typically drawn down in autumn. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Short-term rental posture: Very limited. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.
What stands out
Large open water, 307,000 acres
1320 miles of shoreline
Fishing
Boating
Watch outs
Seasonal drawdown near 25 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
Multi-year level volatility; review historical pool elevation before buying
USACE shoreline permitting — private dock approval is not guaranteed
Score breakdown
Water5.4
Recreation6.3
Value3.9
Access7.3
Investment4.8
Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own
attributes. How we score.
Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.
Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude —
not an opinion. See the formula.
Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.
Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.
Fishery
WalleyeChinook salmonNorthern pikeSmallmouth bass
On the water
FishingBoatingHunting
No USGS gauge on this lake. Water level and clarity figures below come from
published lake management data rather than a live sensor.
What the drawdown looks like
Full pool vs autumn low · Lake Sakakawea
The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats
and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 25 ft
figure is from published operations for this lake.
Where it is
True shoreline from USGS NHD
1200 km²
The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset,
not an approximation — 426 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic
with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.
Depth profile
Idealized cross-section. Max depth 180 ft,
average 58 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry —
verify at the property.
This lake moves. A drawdown near
25 feet changes dock reach, boat access, and the look of the shoreline.
Tour in the low season, or at minimum look at the gauge history above before you offer.
Dock & shoreline
Permitting authorityUSACE Omaha DistrictWake / speed rulesOpen water
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with
USACE Omaha District that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.
Short-term rental posture
Very limited
Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from
lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$535,000
Median waterfront
$3,706
Per shoreline foot
+6.9%
Year over year
72
Est. inventory
53
Avg days on market
$460
Est. nightly rate
Rental snapshot
Modeled occupancy62%Booked nights / yr163Gross revenue$84,370Net operating income$40,253Yield on median price7.52%
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