Big Sand Lake vs Birch Island Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Big Sand Lake and Birch Island Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
A
Big Sand Lake
Burnett County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 36.1 ft down.
A
Birch Island Lake
Burnett County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 26.2 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Big Sand Lake | Birch Island Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 36.1 ft | 26.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | 13.7 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 55 ft | - |
| Surface Area | 1.4K acres | 768 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 5 | 3 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Big Sand Lake: 36.1 ft, Birch Island Lake: 26.2 ft) and what you want from the lake. Big Sand Lake supports more documented fish species.