Sand Lake
Sawyer County, Wisconsin949 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Sand Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Rusty Crayfish
- 50 ft max depth
- Public access
Sand Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 949 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Sand Lake. DNR survey details →
Sand Lake is a 949-acre mesotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Sand Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Sand Lake covers about 950 acres in Sawyer County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Sand Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Sand Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water50 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Sand Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Sand Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Sand Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus 23.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.1 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 23.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Sand Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Sand Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 15 field readings (2024–2026) 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 (151,356 cells/mL) on May 30, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Sand Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1989. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2026).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
50 ft
Surface area
949 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
25 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,289 ft
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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in Sawyer 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
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Follow Sand Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Stable7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.08 µg/L/yr7 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.4 µg/L/yr5 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sand Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sand Lake (completed 1950), built primarily for recreation on the SAND CREEK; gravity-type dam, 7 ft tall and 20 ft long.
- Surface area
- 928 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,700 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 22 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI01100 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
Where is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 949 acres.
Is Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 15 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 949 acres.
What fish are in Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Sand Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Sand Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sand Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Sand Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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 high (151,356 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.
Can I fish at Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Sand Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Sawyer County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Hayward Lakes area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Chippewa River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Sand Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
116 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Lac Courte Oreilles (Tribal)
LCOWIS_WQX72 samples · 2020–2024 - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX44 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 2320 B ~ Alkalinity by Gran Titration
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus by Ascorbic Acid
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
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