Silver Lake
Ramsey County, Minnesota76 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Silver Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
Silver Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 76.03 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 24, 2017 caught 3.50 northern pike per gill net at Silver Lake. DNR survey details →
Silver Lake is a 76-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Silver Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Silver Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 2
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Silver Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). 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.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.5 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 52µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 54 | 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 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in Feb (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (38°F) to its warmest (72°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 555 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 24, 2017 caught 3.50 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-24 (Standard Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2017-07-24 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 33.34 | 2–6 in 2017-07-24 | 0.07 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.60 | 11–14 in 2017-07-24 | 0.45 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.79 | 8–14 in 2017-07-24 | 0.96 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 7.52 | 3–7 in 2017-07-24 | 0.09 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.85 | 3–9 in 2017-07-24 | 0.15 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.02 | 3–6 in 2017-07-24 | 0.09 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.
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2017-07-24 survey
Silver Lake (72 acres and lake class 40) has maximum depth of 18 feet and littoral area of 71 acres. The lake is a heavily vegetated, shallow water basin that has a predominant Northern Pike - Largemouth Bass - Bluegill species composition. Eurasian watermilfoil was found in the lake in 1992. Since 1995, chemical…
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 — SilverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SilverFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SilverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
18 ft
Surface area
76 acres
Shoreline
1.9 mi
Littoral zone
93%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
984 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Joy ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Silver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake in Ramsey 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Silver Lake are listed below.
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-6.8 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.13 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 2
Earliest Mar 14, 2016 · Latest Apr 20, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 23, 2007 · Latest Dec 5, 2004
Most recent ice-out
Apr 10
2022
11 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Silver Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN62-0001-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
Where is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake is a lake in Ramsey 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 Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 76.03 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 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 555 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 76.03 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, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Silver Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Silver Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 24, 2017 caught 3.50 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.
When does Silver Lake thaw?
- Silver Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 2. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 243 days.
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 Joy Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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
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Fish species and best lakes in Ramsey County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
314 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA314 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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