Big Sandy River Lake
Benton County, TennesseeView mapDirections
TDEC publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Sandy River Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
Big Sandy River Lake in Benton County, Tennessee has water-quality measurements published by TDEC, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 64 µg/L.
Big Sandy River Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Benton County, Tennessee. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TDEC, last sampled 2026-04-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Big Sandy River Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Sandy River Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Big Sandy River Lake
These are the measurements TDEC publishes for Big Sandy River Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 64 µg/L. TSI 64.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 64µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 64 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Big Sandy River Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Big SandyPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Sandy River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Sandy River Lake in Benton County, Tennessee — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Big Sandy River Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Sandy River Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Follow Big Sandy River Lake’s readings
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Fishing Big Sandy River Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 12 years of monitoring (2012–2025).
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.1 µg/L/yr12 years
Nearby Lakes in Benton County
Frequently asked questions about Big Sandy River Lake
Where is Big Sandy River Lake?
- Big Sandy River Lake is a lake in Benton County, Tennessee. Its water-quality measurements are published by TDEC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Sandy River Lake?
- Big Sandy River Lake in Benton County, Tennessee has water-quality measurements published by TDEC, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 64 µg/L.
Is Big Sandy River Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Big Sandy River Lake?
- Big Sandy River Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Sandy. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Sandy River Lake?
- Big Sandy River Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Tennessee's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Big Sandy River Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
94 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- TDEC Division of Water Resources
TDECWR_WQX94 samples · 2012–2026
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P H ~ Manual Digestion and Flow Injection Analysis for Total Phosphorus
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
- 2120 C ~ Color in Water by Spectrophotometry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory