Silver Lake
Silver Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 76 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 2
- Open water
- 243 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Silver Lake →
Next lake in Ramsey County
Silver Lake is a 76-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus level: 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 52 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Silver Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Silver Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Silver Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. 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.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 555 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 76 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 93% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Joy ParkPublic
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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 33.34 | 0.07 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.60 | 0.45 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.79 | 0.96 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 7.52 | 0.09 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.85 | 0.15 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.02 | 0.09 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.094 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -6.8 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.13 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
Estimated open water season: 243 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-14 (2016) | 2008-04-20 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-23 (2007) | 2004-12-05 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-10
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN62-0001-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #23 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Silver Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Silver Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
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