Silver Lake
Silver Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 208.41 acres.
- Clarity
- 17 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 208 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 226 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Silver Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Silver Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Silver Lake is a 208-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including bluegill, largemouth bass, and pumpkinseed. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-11. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Silver Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Silver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake in Crow Wing 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 Silver Lake
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Water Temperature
Silver Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (2016–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 208 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 93% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Silver LakePublic
- Fawn LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Silver Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-08-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 57.32 | 0.15 lb |
| SUN | 37.21 | — |
| Brown Bullhead | 20.57 | 0.37 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 10.09 | 0.29 lb |
| Northern Pike | 10.07 | 1.91 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 8.97 | 0.1 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
Brown Bullhead
Yellow Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2015-08-17 survey
Silver Lake is a 214 acre lake located four miles northeast of Merrifield in Crow Wing County. Silver has a maximum depth of 23'. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Ten 100' long sampling stations were evenly spaced around the lakeshore. Each station was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Silver Lake. 2 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
- —Public Water Access Sites — SilverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.312 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (39 observations).
Estimated open water season: 226 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-03-24 (2000) | 2022-04-28 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 1988-10-29 (1988) | 1990-12-25 (1990) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-28
EPA Impairment Status
Silver 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 MN18-0305-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.57 km)
Graded lakes near Silver Lake
Silver Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 208.41 acres.
Is Silver Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Silver Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. 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 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 208.41 acres.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in Silver Lake include bluegill, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, sunfish, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Silver Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Silver Lake thaw?
- Silver Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 226 days.
Are there boat ramps on Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Silver Lake, Fawn Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Silver Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA7 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate