Sanford Lake
Sanford Lake in Midland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 1526 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 1,526 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Why Sanford Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Sanford Lake, 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. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. 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 1,526-acre lake in Midland County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Overall water quality is improving 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 2019-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Sanford Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Sanford Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sanford Lake in Midland 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
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,526 acres |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sanford Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.053 m/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sanford Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sanford Dam (completed 1925), built primarily for recreation on the Tittawabassee River; concrete-type dam, 36 ft tall and 1,600 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,526 ac
- Normal storage
- 15,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 15,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,020 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Midland County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00550 · Operator website
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 MI040802010408-03 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Sanford Lake
Sanford Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Midland County
Frequently asked questions about Sanford Lake
Where is Sanford Lake?
- Sanford Lake is a lake in Midland County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Sanford Lake?
- Sanford Lake in Midland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 1526 acres.
Is Sanford Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Sanford Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Sanford Lake?
- Sanford Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 1526 acres.
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 Midland County, Michigan.
Explore Sanford Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS35 samples · 2016–2019
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)