Sand Lake

Sand Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Rusk County. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

Trophically, Sand Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. The lake's 100 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 272 acres, Sand Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Within Rusk County's 13 graded waters, Sand Lake sits at rank 1, near the top of the local distribution.

An invasive species record — Curly-Leaf Pondweed — has been logged at Sand Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 5 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.