Sand Lake
Lenawee County, Michigan545 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 53 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sand Lake in Lenawee County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 53 ft. Surface area: 545.1 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.3 ft
- Max depth
- 53 ft
- Area
- 545 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Sand Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Sand Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 53 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Sand Lake has no grade
Sand Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Sand Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 13.3-foot median from 29 readings collected 2019–2022 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Sand Lake is a 545-acre lake in Lenawee County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 53 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-10-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sand Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.3 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing8 species recorded
- Deep water53 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Sand Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Sand Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.3 ft. TSI 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 53 ft |
| Surface Area | 545 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Sand LakePublic
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 Sand Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.144 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.29 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.17 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sand Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI041000020106-02 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Sand Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Lenawee Cdc-Wamplers Lk WwslTipton · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MI0053988Recent violation
- Lenawee Cdc-Loch Erin WwtpOnsted · 3.8 mi away · NPDES MI0053848Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Sand Lake
Sand Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Lenawee County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
Where is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake is a lake in Lenawee County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Lenawee County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 53 ft. Surface area: 545.1 acres.
Is Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Sand Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 53 feet. The lake covers 545.1 acres.
What fish are in Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Sand Lake include Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Green sunfish, Iowa darter, Largemouth bass, White sucker, Yellow perch. Sand Lake is located in Lenawee County, Michigan.
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.
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS29 samples · 2019–2022
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory