Little Sand Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota353 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Sand Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- zebra mussel
- 19 ft max depth
- Public access
Little Sand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 353.36 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 20, 2016 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Little Sand Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Sand Lake is a 353-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Little Sand Lake ranks #54 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Sand Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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 Little Sand Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Little Sand Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Sand Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.2 ft. Phosphorus 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11.4 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 29.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 11.4µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Little Sand Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Sand Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2019–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 20, 2016 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Little Sand Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Sand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-20 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2016-06-20 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 12.25 | 4–10 in 2016-06-20 | 0.25 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 6.95 | 7–11 in 1999-06-28 | 0.39 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.92 | 7 in 2016-06-20 | 0.51 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 5.12 | 13 in 2016-06-20 | 0.71 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.05 | 10–32 in 2016-06-20 | 1.28 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Brown Bullhead
From the 2016-06-20 survey
Little Sand Lake is located approximately six miles northeast of Squaw Lake, MN, and within the Big Fork River Watershed. The 361 acre lake of which 231 acres is less than 15 feet deep, a 19 foot maximum depth and is moderately developed along the 3.6 mile shoreline. A state owned public access is located just north…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Sand Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Sand (0846)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
19 ft
Surface area
353 acres
Shoreline
3.7 mi
Littoral zone
65%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
246 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,309 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Sand LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Sand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota — 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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Follow Little Sand Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Sand Lake
- → Little Sand Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Sand Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Sand Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Sand Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2021). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-4.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.2 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Little Sand Lake
Where is Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 353.36 acres.
Is Little Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 353.36 acres.
What fish are in Little Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Sand Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, northern pike, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Sand Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Sand Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 20, 2016 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Little Sand Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Sand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. 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.
Can I fish at Little Sand Lake?
- Little Sand 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 Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Little Sand Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory