Sand Lake
Sand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 714.55 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.2 ft
- Max depth
- 60 ft
- Area
- 715 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Sand Lake is a 715-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 60 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Sand Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-10. 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 13.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in Itasca 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 715 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 5% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sand LakePublic
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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1986-07-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 15.50 | 0.97 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.94 | 0.29 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.25 | 0.95 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.08 | 0.33 lb |
| RHS | 1.00 | 5.9 lb |
| Bluegill | 0.92 | 0.6 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1986-07-17 survey
WALLEYE AND YELLOW PERCH ABUNDANCE IS BELOW STATE- WIDE LOCAL MEDIANS. ALL OTHER SPECIES ARE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS FOR THIS TYPE OF LAKE. SHORELINE SEINING YIELDING A GOOD NUMBER OF YOUNG-0F-YEAR WALLEYE. WALLEYE AND YELLOW PERCH ABUNDANCE IS BELOW STATEWIDE AND LOCAL MEDIANS. ALL OTHER SPECIES ARE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sand Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PortageFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 714.55 acres.
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 3.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake covers 714.55 acres.
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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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
168 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA168 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory