White Sand Lake
White Sand Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 415.06 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 415 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 232 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
White Sand Lake is a 415-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, White Sand Lake ranks #62 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near White Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near White Sand Lake in Crow Wing 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.
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Water Temperature
White Sand Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Jun (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full White Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Surface Area | 415 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 62% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- White Sand LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing White Sand Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 35.25 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 24.85 | 1.11 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.35 | 0.15 lb |
| BKF | 8.21 | — |
| Brown Bullhead | 6.67 | 0.97 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.79 | 0.67 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Brown Bullhead
Black Bullhead
From the 2025-08-18 survey
White Sand is a 415 acre lake in the city of Baxter in Crow Wing County. Largemouth Bass is the primary management species and is monitored through spring electrofishing. Northern Pike and Walleye are secondary management species and larger Walleyes are stocked when available to create a "bonus" fishery. A standard…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for White Sand Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — White SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — White SandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — White SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.139 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.03 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (60 observations).
Estimated open water season: 232 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-06 (2024) | 2013-05-12 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-08 (2019) | 2017-12-09 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-05
EPA Impairment Status
White Sand Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0387-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.8 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #62 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about White Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for White Sand Lake?
- White Sand Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 415.06 acres.
Is White Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. White Sand Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of White Sand Lake?
- White Sand Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is White Sand Lake?
- White Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 415.06 acres.
What fish are in White Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in White Sand Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. White Sand Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does White Sand Lake thaw?
- White Sand Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 232 days.
Are there boat ramps on White Sand Lake?
- White Sand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include White Sand Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore White Sand Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
59 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA59 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate