Sand Lake
Sand Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 527.23 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 47 ft
- Area
- 527 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Pine County
Why Sand Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Sand Lake, 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. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Sand Lake is a 527-acre lake in Pine County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 47 feet (18-foot average). The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Sand Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in Pine 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Sand Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Sand Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 74 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Sand Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (229,087 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 47 ft |
| Average Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 527 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 41% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 45.38 | 0.14 lb |
| SUN | 30.05 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 19.49 | 0.78 lb |
| BNS | 17.77 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 14.46 | — |
| CNM | 7.29 | — |
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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-07-07 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Sand Lake was conducted on July 7- 9, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program (LBMA) staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sand Lake. 5 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 (0268)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sand (0354)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: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.004 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (33 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-04-02 (2021) | 2022-05-05 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-13 (2002) | 2017-12-13 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-05
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 MN58-0081-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Sand Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Moose Lake WwtpMoose Lake · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MN0020699Recent 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.
Nearby Lakes in Pine County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 527.23 acres.
Is Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Sand Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 74 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 47 feet and an average depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 527.23 acres.
What fish are in Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Sand Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, sunfish, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sand Lake is located in Pine County, Minnesota.
When does Sand Lake thaw?
- Sand Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Does Sand Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Sand Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (229,087 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Sand Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
97 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
MNPCA97 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate