Sand Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Sand Lake pulls an A: clarity at 46.8 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. Sand Lake reaches 35 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 99 acres, Sand Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Among the 34 graded lakes in Iron County, Sand Lake ranks 8 — in the top quartile locally.

No invasive species are currently listed at Sand Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 3, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.