Sand Lake
Washington County, Minnesota47 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Sand Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sand Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 46.86 acres.
Sand Lake is a 47-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Sand Lake ranks #67 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR 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 Minnesota PCA 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.
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 42.5 µg/L. TSI 64.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 53µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 42.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 64 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Sand Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Sand Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Apr (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (46°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 65 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
18 ft
Surface area
47 acres
Shoreline
1.5 mi
Littoral zone
87%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
958 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sand Lake in Washington 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Sand Lake are listed below.
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 Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fishing Sand Lake
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Sand Lake
Where is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake is a lake in Washington County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 46.86 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 52°F at the surface in October, from 65 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sand Lake?
- Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 46.86 acres.
Can I fish at Sand Lake?
- Public access to Sand Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Sand Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Washington County
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA28 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder