East Silent Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota324 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for East Silent Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 48 ft max depth
- Public access
East Silent Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 19.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 323.6 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 5.56 walleye per gill net at East Silent Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–23 inches. DNR survey details →
East Silent Lake is a 324-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 48 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, East Silent Lake ranks #45 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What East Silent Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water19.2 ft of visibility
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 14
- Deep water48 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether East Silent 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 East Silent Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for East Silent Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 19.2 ft down. Phosphorus 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 36.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 19.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 36 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about East Silent Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
East Silent Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full East Silent Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 5.56 walleye per gill net at East Silent Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–23 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Silent Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-01 (Targeted Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2022-08-01 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 26.48 | 4–10 in 2022-08-01 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluegill | 14.88 | 3–10 in 2022-08-01 | 0.18 lb |
| Rock Bass | 11.09 | 4–9 in 2022-08-01 | 0.38 lb |
| Walleye | 9.72 | 11–23 in 2022-08-01 | 1.48 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 8.85 | 3–8 in 2022-08-01 | 0.26 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 3.07 | 6–14 in 2022-08-01 | 1.09 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Walleye
From the 2022-08-01 survey
East Silent Lake is a 310-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north-central Otter Tail County approximately six miles west of Dent, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 45 feet; however, 18% of the lake is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Silent Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East SilentFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — East Silent (0968)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East SilentFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East SilentPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
48 ft
Surface area
324 acres
Shoreline
3.8 mi
Littoral zone
18%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
11 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,342 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near East Silent Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near East Silent Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Silent Lake
- → East Silent Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → East Silent Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → East Silent Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from East Silent Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.09 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.02 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 14
Earliest Apr 11, 2015 · Latest Apr 16, 2002
Most recent ice-out
Apr 11
2015
5 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about East Silent Lake
Where is East Silent Lake?
- East Silent Lake is a lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of East Silent Lake?
- East Silent Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 19.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 323.6 acres.
Is East Silent Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of East Silent Lake?
- East Silent Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is East Silent Lake?
- East Silent Lake has a maximum depth of 48 feet. The lake covers 323.6 acres.
What fish are in East Silent Lake?
- Fish species found in East Silent Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Silent Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at East Silent Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 5.56 walleye per gill net at East Silent Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–23 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Silent Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does East Silent Lake thaw?
- East Silent Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14.
Can I fish at East Silent Lake?
- Public access to East Silent 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 East Silent Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
63 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
MNPCA63 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate