Silver Lake
Silver Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 529.36 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Area
- 529 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 227 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Silver Lake is a 529-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Silver Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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 12.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.4 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 Otter Tail 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 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Silver Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (20,137 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Surface Area | 529 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| 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
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-18 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 87.14 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.11 | 0.88 lb |
| Bluegill | 15.00 | 0.2 lb |
| MMS | 13.42 | — |
| Black Crappie | 11.28 | 0.52 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 10.57 | — |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Black Crappie
From the 2022-07-18 survey
Silver Lake is a 547-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County one mile north of Battle Lake, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of grasslands interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 43 feet; however, 42% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth.…
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 — First SilverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — First SilverFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — First 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 | +0.257 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.29 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.58 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (23 observations).
Estimated open water season: 227 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-04-02 (2000) | 2013-05-10 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1997-11-16 (1997) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-20
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 529.36 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 4.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 529.36 acres.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in Silver Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Silver Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Silver Lake thaw?
- Silver Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 227 days.
Does Silver Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Silver Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (20,137 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
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.
Explore Silver Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Top lakes and where to stay in the Otter Tail County area
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
84 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
MNPCA84 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate