Sandy Beach Lake
Osage County, Oklahoma16,750 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #4 of 7 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Sandy Beach Lake in Osage County, Oklahoma has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 257.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.7 µg/L. Surface area: 16750 acres.
- Area
- 16,750 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 257.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 14.7 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Sandy Beach Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sandy Beach Lake in Osage County, Oklahoma — 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Sandy Beach Lake are listed below.
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Sandy Beach Lake is a 16,750-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Osage County, Oklahoma. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Osage County, Sandy Beach Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ODEQ, last sampled 2021-03-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sandy Beach Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water16,750 acres
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.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 257.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 14.7 µg/L. TSI 71. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 257.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 14.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 16,750 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Sandy Beach Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Sandy ParkPublic
- McFadden CovePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sandy Beach Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 10 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +12.5 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -75.42 µg/L/yr | 8 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.71 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sandy Beach Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Kaw Dam (completed 1976), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Arkansas River; gravity-type dam, 125 ft tall and 9,466 ft long.
- Surface area
- 16,750 ac
- Normal storage
- 406,540 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,327,160 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6,652 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Tulsa District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other;Recreation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OK20509 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.58 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 7 lakes in Osage County
Nearby Lakes in Osage County
Frequently asked questions about Sandy Beach Lake
Where is Sandy Beach Lake?
- Sandy Beach Lake is a lake in Osage County, Oklahoma. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sandy Beach Lake?
- Sandy Beach Lake in Osage County, Oklahoma has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 257.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.7 µg/L. Surface area: 16750 acres.
Is Sandy Beach Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Sandy Beach Lake?
- Sandy Beach Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sandy Park, McFadden Cove. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sandy Beach Lake across LakeQuality
More Oklahoma Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Oklahoma
Eutrophic Lakes in Oklahoma
Where this data comes from
188 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kaw Nation, Oklahoma (Tribal)
KAWNATON_WQX188 samples · 2012–2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus, Recative (Orthophosphate) Ascorbic Acid Method
- Phosphorus, Total Ascorbic Acid Method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus, Reactive (Orthophosphate) Ascorbic Acid Method
- Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- Color, APHA Platinum-Cobalt
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory