First Silver Lake vs Silver Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
First Silver Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Silver Lake (A, Excellent). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
First Silver Lake and Silver Lake are both in Minnesota — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — First Silver Lake (A) versus Silver Lake (A). The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With grades this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
First Silver Lake
No clarity data.
Silver Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 12.1 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | First Silver Lake | Silver Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | No data | 12.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | 16 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft | 43 ft |
| Surface Area | 529.36 acres | 529.36 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 13 | 13 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
First Silver Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Silver Lake's Grade A. For fishing diversity, First Silver Lake also leads with 13 species.