city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Powers Lake, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (63rd percentile) and lowest in fall (4th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Powers Lake?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (canola)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Powers Lake, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): canola, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, peas; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): canola, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Canola: about 117 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Powers Lake
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Durum Wheat; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.29 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.3 mi SW.
How Powers Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 29th | 94th | 74th |
| North Dakota | 53rd | 63rd | 62nd | 4th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 85th | 60th | 86th | 35th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Powers Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McGregor 13 mi · White Earth 14 mi · Ross 18 mi · Tioga 18 mi · Stanley 21 mi · Lignite 22 mi
All towns in North Dakota · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Powers Lake (48.564, -102.6456); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.