Sanford Lake
Benzie County, Michigan53 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Limited data
Sanford Lake in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Surface area: 52.8 acres.
- Clarity
- 17 ft
- Typical in September
- 62°F
- Area
- 53 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Sanford Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sanford Lake in Benzie County, Michigan — 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Sanford Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Watch Sanford Lake’s letter
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Why Sanford Lake has no grade
Sanford Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Sanford Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 17-foot median from 44 readings collected 2016–2022 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Sanford Lake is a 53-acre lake in Benzie County, Michigan. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including Black crappie, Blackside darter, and Bluegill.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sanford Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17 ft of visibility
- Fishing17 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Sanford Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Sanford Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. TSI 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Sanford Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 64°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 87 field readings (2020–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sanford Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 53 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Sanford Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sanford Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.368 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.27 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.05 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sanford Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601040202-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.5 km)
Graded lakes near Sanford Lake
Sanford Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Sanford Lake
Where is Sanford Lake?
- Sanford Lake is a lake in Benzie County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Sanford Lake?
- Sanford Lake in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Surface area: 52.8 acres.
Is Sanford Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Sanford Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sanford Lake?
- Sanford Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, from 87 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2020–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Sanford Lake?
- Fish species found in Sanford Lake include Black crappie, Blackside darter, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Central stoneroller, Common shiner, Creek chub, Golden shiner, Hornyhead chub, Johnny darter, Largemouth bass, Northern logperch, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Smallmouth bass, Spotfin shiner, Yellow perch. Sanford Lake is located in Benzie County, Michigan.
Explore Sanford Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Sanford Lake is about 18 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes →More Michigan Lake Rankings
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Where this data comes from
44 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS44 samples · 2016–2022
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database