Silver Lake Max Depth
Dickinson County, IowaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #7 of 8 in the county
- 41 ft max depth
- Public access
Silver Lake Max Depth in Dickinson County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 186 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2.7 ft
- Typical in September
- 71°F
- Max depth
- ~41 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 186 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 38.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Silver Lake Max Depth
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake Max Depth in Dickinson County, Iowa — 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Silver Lake Max Depth are listed below.
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Silver Lake Max Depth is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Dickinson County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 41 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Dickinson County, Silver Lake Max Depth ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Silver Lake Max Depth is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 186 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 38.3 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 186 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 38.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Silver Lake Max Depth typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Jun (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Silver Lake Max Depth water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~41 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Iowa has not published bathymetry for Silver Lake Max Depth.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Silver Lake ComplexPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Silver Lake Max Depth
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.175 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.1 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -11.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 8 lakes in Dickinson County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Silver Lake Max Depth holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Dickinson County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake Max Depth
Where is Silver Lake Max Depth?
- Silver Lake Max Depth is a lake in Dickinson County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake Max Depth?
- Silver Lake Max Depth in Dickinson County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 186 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38.3 µg/L.
Is Silver Lake Max Depth safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Silver Lake Max Depth?
- Silver Lake Max Depth typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Silver Lake Max Depth?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Silver Lake Max Depth, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 41 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Silver Lake Max Depth?
- Silver Lake Max Depth has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Silver Lake Complex. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Silver Lake Max Depth across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Iowa's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
50 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX50 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Unknown
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- In-Vitro Determination of Chlorophyll
- ISU modification of APHA 2130-B
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory