Sand Lake
Sand Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 900 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 73 ft
- Area
- 900 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Burnett County
Sand Lake is a 900-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 73 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. 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 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Sand Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-07. 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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.4 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in Burnett 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 Sand Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Sand Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 73 ft |
| Surface Area | 900 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sand Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.714 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.55 µg/L/yr | 5 |
County Ranking
Ranked #22 of 30 lakes in Burnett County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
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.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 900 acres.
Is Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Sand Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake covers 900 acres.
What fish are in Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Sand Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Sand Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
Are there boat ramps on Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sand Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX36 samples · 2020–2026
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory