Silver Lake
Silver Lake in Olmsted County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 50.41 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 11 ft
- Area
- 50 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Olmsted 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 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. 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.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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
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Water Temperature
Silver Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 11 ft |
| Average Depth | 2 ft |
| Surface Area | 50 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Silver Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2007-07-30 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 48.00 | 0.67 lb |
| Golden Redhorse | 23.57 | 0.68 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 19.50 | 0.61 lb |
| White Crappie | 15.08 | 0.21 lb |
| CSH | 13.92 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Crappie | 12.76 | 0.19 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.092 m/yr | 6 |
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
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.
Graded lakes near Silver Lake
Silver Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Olmsted County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Olmsted County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 50.41 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 73°F at the surface in August, 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.
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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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder