Silver Lake
Olmsted County, Minnesota50 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Silver Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 11 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Silver Lake in Olmsted County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 50.41 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2007 caught 1.00 northern pike per gill net at Silver Lake. DNR survey details →
Silver Lake is a 50-acre lake in Olmsted County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 11 feet (2-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Silver Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing13 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Silver Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Silver 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 Silver Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Silver Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Silver Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Silver Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Apr (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 69 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2007 caught 1.00 northern pike per gill net at Silver Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Silver Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2007-07-30 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2007-07-30 (Standard Survey)
19 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 48.00 | 9–17 in 2007-07-30 | 0.67 lb |
| Golden Redhorse | 23.57 | 6–14 in 2007-07-30 | 0.68 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 19.50 | 2–12 in 2007-07-30 | 0.61 lb |
| White Crappie | 15.08 | 8–11 in 2007-07-30 | 0.21 lb |
| Black Crappie | 12.76 | 6–11 in 2007-07-30 | 0.19 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.
White Sucker
Golden Redhorse
Largemouth Bass
White Crappie
From the 2007-07-30 survey
Silver Lake is a 34-acre impoundment of the South Fork Zumbro River located within the city of Rochester, MN. The impoundment is created by a dam, owned and operated by Rochester Public Utilities (RPU). Water quality in the reservoir is affected by sediment deposition from upstream sources and urban runoff. Water…
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
Lake Details
Max depth
11 ft
Average depth
2 ft
Surface area
50 acres
Shoreline
3 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Silver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake in Olmsted 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
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Silver Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Silver Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Silver Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Silver Lake (completed 1935), built primarily for recreation on the Zumbro River South Fork; gravity-type dam, 30 ft tall and 251 ft long.
- Surface area
- 58 ac
- Normal storage
- 215 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 234 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- City of Rochester
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00515 · Operator website
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN55-0003-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
8 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Silver Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Rochester Wwtp/Water Reclamation PlantRochester · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MN0024619MajorRecent violation
- Rochester Silver Lake PlantRochester · 0.2 mi away · NPDES MN0001139
- Franklin Heating StationRochester · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MN0041271
- Kemps Milk PlantRochester · 1 mi away · NPDES MN0059803
- Seneca Foods Corp - RochesterRochester · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MN0000477
- Hallmark TerraceRochester · 3.4 mi away · NPDES MN0030368
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Olmsted County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
Where is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake is a lake in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Olmsted County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 50.41 acres.
Is Silver Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Silver 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 Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 69 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet and an average depth of 2 feet. The lake covers 50.41 acres.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in Silver Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, golden redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Silver Lake is located in Olmsted County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Silver Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2007 caught 1.00 northern pike per gill net at Silver Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Silver Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Silver Lake?
- Public access to Silver Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Silver Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Olmsted County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Silver Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
104 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA104 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder