Sand Lake
Sand Lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 100 ft. Surface area: 272 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Sand Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 15.3 ft
- Max depth
- 100 ft
- Area
- 272 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Sand Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: 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 WI DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Sand Lake is a 272-acre lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 100 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-07-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality 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 are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.3 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin — 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
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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 moderate (48,753 cells/mL) on April 11, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Sand Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Sand Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 100 ft |
| Surface Area | 272 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.5 m/yr | 3 |
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10006531 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Sand Lake
Sand Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Rusk County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
Where is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake is a lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 100 ft. Surface area: 272 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.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 100 feet. The lake covers 272 acres.
What fish are in Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Sand Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Sand Lake is located in Rusk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sand Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Sand Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Sand Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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 moderate (48,753 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
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 LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX10 samples · 2020–2023
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)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory