Big Sand Lake vs Birch Island Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Big Sand Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Birch Island Lake (B, Good). Both are in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
Both Big Sand Lake and Birch Island Lake sit in Wisconsin. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any grade differences here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies grading them. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Big Sand Lake (A) versus Birch Island Lake (B). The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With grades this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Big Sand Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft.
Birch Island Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Big Sand Lake | Birch Island Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 11 ft | 8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 19.5 µg/L | 13.7 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.3 µg/L | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 55 ft | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,434 acres | 768 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 5 | 3 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Big Sand Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Birch Island Lake's Grade B. Water clarity: 11 ft vs 8 ft. For fishing diversity, Big Sand Lake also leads with 5 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.