Little Sand Lake
Little Sand Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 237 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Little Sand Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 237 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Little Sand Lake is a 237-acre mesotrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Little Sand Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 15.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15.9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Sand Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin — 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Sand Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Little Sand Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Sand Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 237 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Sand LakeSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Sand Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Sand Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10000672 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 23 lakes in Forest County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Little Sand Lake holds Grade B. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Little Sand Lake
Where is Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 237 acres.
Is Little Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Little Sand Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 237 acres.
What fish are in Little Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Sand Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Little Sand Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Sand Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Little Sand Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Sand Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Sand Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Sand Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Forest County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX9 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory