Silver Lake
Silver Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 91 ft. Surface area: 331 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 91 ft
- Area
- 331 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Barron County
Silver Lake is a 331-acre mesotrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 91 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 27 other monitored lakes in Barron County, Silver Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. 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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Silver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin — 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 Silver Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Silver Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Silver Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (366,438 cells/mL) on May 16, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 91 ft |
| Surface Area | 331 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sylvan LakePublic
- Grant ParkPublic
- Little Silver LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Silver 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.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1987. 12 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Silver Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2017Silver Lake fishery assessment, 2017Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.053 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.22 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Silver 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 WI10004457 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 28 lakes in Barron County
Nearby Lakes in Barron County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 91 ft. Surface area: 331 acres.
Is Silver Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Silver Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 91 feet. The lake covers 331 acres.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in Silver Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Trout, Walleye. Silver Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.
Does Silver Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Silver Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (366,438 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sylvan Lake, Grant Park, Little Silver Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Silver Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
72 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX72 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory