Is Kunkel Lake safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Kunkel Lake in Kidder County, North Dakota carries a swim caution. Satellite imagery measured 78,912 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Rainfall over the past week totaled 0.0 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Kunkel Lake is a lake in Kidder County, North Dakota covering about 2.3 sq mi, the 41st-largest of the 216 lakes SwimZone monitors in North Dakota. Satellite imagery measured 78,912 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold.

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms are most common from midsummer into early fall, when the water is warm, calm, and rich in nutrients from runoff. They can produce toxins that make people sick and can be rapidly fatal to dogs, so skip water that looks green, scummy, or like spilled paint, and keep children and pets out of it.

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Kunkel Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 6 of them, most recently in August 2025. This is a lake that blooms most summers. Its highest recorded reading was 1,236,468 cells/mL in July 2020.

Is it safe to swim in Kunkel Lake right now?

Kunkel Lake carries a swim caution today. Satellite imagery measured 78,912 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 19, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.

Does Kunkel Lake have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

Low levels. Satellite monitoring measured 78,912 cells/mL at Kunkel Lake on July 19, 2026, below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Keep an eye out for surface scum, which can concentrate quickly.

Can dogs swim in Kunkel Lake?

Use caution. Blue-green algae at Kunkel Lake are elevated (78,912 cells/mL on July 19, 2026). Dogs are far more sensitive to cyanobacteria than people, so keep them out of the water and away from surface scum.

How often does Kunkel Lake have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Kunkel Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 6 of them, most recently in August 2025. This is a lake that blooms most summers. Its highest recorded reading was 1,236,468 cells/mL in July 2020.

How many North Dakota lakes and beaches are unsafe for swimming today?

Today, 167 North Dakota waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 4 more warrant caution, out of 241 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

How is Kunkel Lake's water quality measured?

SwimZone builds this read from EPA CyAN satellite imagery for blue-green algae, official beach and fecal-bacteria advisories where a program monitors Kunkel Lake, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 20, 2026.