Sandy Lake
Anoka County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Sandy Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Public access
Sandy Lake in Anoka County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 102 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.1 µg/L.
Sandy Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Anoka County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Anoka County, Sandy Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Sandy Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Sandy 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 Sandy Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Sandy 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 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 102 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 48.1 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 102µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 48.1µg/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. | 69 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Sandy Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Sandy Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 38 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sandy Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Sandy Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sandy Lake in Anoka 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 Sandy Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Sandy Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fishing Sandy Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+25.89 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+12.55 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Sandy Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN02-0080-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Sandy Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Minneapolis Water Works FridleyFridley · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MN0003247Recent violation
- Kurt ManufacturingFridley · 0.7 mi away · NPDES MN0066168
- Gaf Materials CorpMinneapolis · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MN0002119
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Anoka County
Frequently asked questions about Sandy Lake
Where is Sandy Lake?
- Sandy Lake is a lake in Anoka County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sandy Lake?
- Sandy Lake in Anoka County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 102 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.1 µg/L.
Is Sandy Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Sandy Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sandy Lake?
- Sandy Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, from 38 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Sandy Lake?
- Public access to Sandy 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 Sandy Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
69 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA69 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)