Silver Lake
Silver Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 121.25 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 121 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Silver Lake is a 121-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Silver Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-07. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Silver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake in Cass 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
Silver Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 110 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 121 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 57% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Silver LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Silver Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-08-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 26.41 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.05 | 0.82 lb |
| Black Crappie | 14.45 | 0.23 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.17 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.80 | 2.79 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.45 | 0.14 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2017-08-21 survey
Silver Lake is a 121-acre lake located southeast of Whipholt, Minnesota. A public access is located on the northeast shore of the lake. The access road goes south off of National Forest Road 2312. The lake is entirely within the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Reservation. The Minnesota Department of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Silver Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SilverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Silver (1583)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SilverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.08 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.6 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #24 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 121.25 acres.
Is Silver Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Silver Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 110 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 121.25 acres.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in Silver Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch. Silver Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Silver Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
61 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX47 samples · 2023–2024 - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA14 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory