Sand Lake
Sand Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 62°F
- Mean depth
- ~26 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Barron County
Sand Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with an estimated average depth of about 26 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 27 other monitored lakes in Barron County, Sand Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in Barron 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.
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Water Temperature
Sand Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 63°F) and coldest in Apr (about 47°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 95 field readings (2024–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~26 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Wisconsin has not published bathymetry for Sand Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Sand LakePublic
Fishing Sand Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.386 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.16 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sand Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005256 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.85 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 28 lakes in Barron County
Nearby Lakes in Barron County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L.
Is Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Sand Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August, from 95 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sand Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 26 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sand Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sand Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
288 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
STCROIX_WQX188 samples · 2023–2024 - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX100 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory