Sand Lake
Sand Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 778.78 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 15 ft
- Area
- 779 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 22
- Open water
- 213 days
Next lake in St. Louis 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 779-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. 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.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in St. Louis 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
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 Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Sand Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Oct (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 90 field readings (2018–2025) 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 (151,356 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
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 | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 779 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 99% |
| Public Access | No |
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
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-31 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 15.66 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.83 | 0.13 lb |
| CNM | 6.79 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.62 | 1.93 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.91 | 2.49 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.49 | 0.38 lb |
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
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2023-07-31 survey
Sand Lake is a 779 acre lake located 10 miles north of Virginia. The lake was not stratified on 08/21/2023, had a temperature of 73F, a secchi visibility of 6.3 feet, and a max depth of 15 feet. The water had a green tint. Sand is highly developed and aquatic vegetation is very abundant. The Sand Lake Association…
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 — SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.072 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (32 observations).
Estimated open water season: 213 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-23 (2012) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-05 (2003) | 2004-11-24 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-04-07
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 MN69-0736-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Sand Lake
Sand Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 778.78 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 71°F at the surface in August, from 90 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 778.78 acres.
What fish are in Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Sand Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Sand Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Sand Lake thaw?
- Sand Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 22. Ice typically forms around Nov 21. The open water season is approximately 213 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 (151,356 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
76 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
MNPCA76 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate