Sandhill Lake
Sandhill Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 8.2 ft
- Max depth
- ~24 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Sandhill Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with an estimated average depth of about 24 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Sandhill Lake ranks #20 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-09-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 19.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sandhill Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sandhill Lake in Polk 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~24 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~14 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Wisconsin has not published bathymetry for Sandhill Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Sandhill Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.25 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #20 of 55 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Sandhill Lake
Where is Sandhill Lake?
- Sandhill Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sandhill Lake?
- Sandhill Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.2 µg/L.
Is Sandhill Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Sandhill Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Sandhill Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sandhill Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 24 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX14 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)