Sand Lake
Sand Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 127.61 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 68°F
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 128 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Carlton County
Sand Lake is a 128-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carlton County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 feet (3-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including bluegill, northern pike, and yellow perch. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 21 other monitored lakes in Carlton County, Sand Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 13.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in Carlton 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.
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Water Temperature
Sand Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 66 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Average Depth | 3 ft |
| Surface Area | 128 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 96% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sandy LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sand Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-09-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BLH | 37.90 | 0.35 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 14.25 | 0.44 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.97 | 0.11 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.74 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.67 | 0.5 lb |
| Bluegill | 3.14 | 0.2 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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 Bass
Yellow Perch
Pumpkinseed
Black Bullhead
From the 2016-09-06 survey
Sand is a 123 acre lake with 122 (99%) acres of littoral area and a maximum depth of 27 feet. Sand lake is located seven miles northeast of Barnum, MN off Highway #5 and has a County administered, public access. Sand was last assessed during the summer of 2009. Sand was surveyed during the summer of 2016 to update…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sand Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sand (0263)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.02 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +8 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 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN09-0016-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 22 lakes in Carlton County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Sand Lake holds Grade C. 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 Carlton County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 127.61 acres.
Is Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Sand Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 13.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August, from 66 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet and an average depth of 3 feet. The lake covers 127.61 acres.
What fish are in Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Sand Lake include bluegill, northern pike, yellow perch. Sand Lake is located in Carlton County, Minnesota.
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 Sandy Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sand Lake across LakeGrade
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
31 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA31 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory