East Sylvia Lake
Wright County, Minnesota669 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for East Sylvia Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 78 ft max depth
East Sylvia Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 0.75 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at East Sylvia Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches. DNR survey details →
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). 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
East Sylvia Lake covers about 670 acres in Wright County. The median ice-out date is April 16, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near East Sylvia Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What East Sylvia Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water21 ft of visibility
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 16
- Deep water78 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. East Sylvia Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether East Sylvia 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 Sylvia Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for East Sylvia 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 21 ft down. Phosphorus 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 35.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 21ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 8µg/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. | 35 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about East Sylvia Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
East Sylvia Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (43°F) to its warmest (73°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 0.75 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at East Sylvia Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Sylvia 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
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey).
14 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 27.90 | 4–18 in 2025-07-21 | 0.57 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 22.23 | ||
| Bluegill | 18.16 | 3–9 in 2025-07-21 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 7.77 | 5–12 in 2025-07-21 | 0.69 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
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
Lake Details
Max depth
78 ft
Average depth
41.1 ft
Surface area
669 acres
Shoreline
6 mi
Littoral zone
25%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near East Sylvia Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Sylvia Lake
- → East Sylvia Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → East Sylvia Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → East Sylvia Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from East Sylvia 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
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.51 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.01 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 16
Earliest Mar 16, 2024 · Latest Apr 26, 2023
Typical ice-in
Dec 6
Earliest Nov 27, 2015 · Latest Jan 2, 2002
Most recent ice-out
Mar 16
2024
23 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0289-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about East Sylvia Lake
Where is East Sylvia Lake?
- East Sylvia Lake is a lake in Wright 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 Sylvia Lake?
- East Sylvia Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. East Sylvia Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of East Sylvia Lake?
- East Sylvia Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at East Sylvia Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 0.75 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at East Sylvia Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Sylvia 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 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.
Can I fish at East Sylvia Lake?
- Public access to East Sylvia Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Sylvia Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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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)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate