Sand Point Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Sand Point Lake at a C: clarity at 7.5 ft, phosphorus readings still being added, and a TSI of 48 signal an intermediate trophic state. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI near 48 places Sand Point Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. The lake's 184 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 8,527 acres, Sand Point Lake is one of the larger lakes in St. Louis County, with 148.0 miles of shoreline supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Among the 187 graded lakes in St. Louis County, Sand Point Lake sits at rank 86, above the county median.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Sand Point Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. Walleye are documented at Sand Point Lake, one of 21 fish species on record for the lake. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. The lake has a partial ice record — 5 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 19. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.