East Sylvia Lake
East Sylvia Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 21 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 78 ft. Surface area: 669.42 acres.
- Clarity
- 21 ft
- Typical in August
- 61°F
- Max depth
- 78 ft
- Area
- 669 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 234 days
Next lake in Wright County
East Sylvia Lake is a 669-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 78 feet (41-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, East Sylvia Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 21 ft down. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 21 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near East Sylvia Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Sylvia Lake in Wright 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
East Sylvia Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 73°F) and coldest in Apr (about 43°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 183 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full East Sylvia Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 78 ft |
| Average Depth | 41.1 ft |
| Surface Area | 669 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 25% |
| Public Access | No |
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 East Sylvia 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
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 27.90 | 0.57 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 22.23 | — |
| BNS | 19.40 | — |
| BCS | 19.20 | — |
| Bluegill | 18.16 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.77 | 0.69 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
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-07-21 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in East Lake Sylvia was conducted on July 21, 2025, by Sauk Rapids fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Sylvia Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East Lake SylviaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East Lake SylviaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.258 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.51 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.01 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (23 observations).
Estimated open water season: 234 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-16 (2024) | 2023-04-26 (2023) |
| Ice-In | 2015-11-27 (2015) | 2002-01-02 (2002) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-16
EPA Impairment Status
East Sylvia Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0289-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about East Sylvia Lake
What is the water quality grade for East Sylvia Lake?
- East Sylvia Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 21 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 78 ft. Surface area: 669.42 acres.
Is East Sylvia Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. East Sylvia Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of East Sylvia Lake?
- East Sylvia Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August, from 183 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is East Sylvia Lake?
- East Sylvia Lake has a maximum depth of 78 feet and an average depth of 41.1 feet. The lake covers 669.42 acres.
What fish are in East Sylvia Lake?
- Fish species found in East Sylvia Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Sylvia Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does East Sylvia Lake thaw?
- East Sylvia Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 234 days.
Explore East Sylvia Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
101 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA101 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate