Silver Lake
Silver Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 19.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 45.63 acres.
- Clarity
- 19.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 62°F
- Max depth
- 29 ft
- Area
- 46 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in St. Louis County
Silver Lake is a 46-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 29 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Silver Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Silver Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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)
Crystal clear, you can see 19.3 ft down. Phosphorus level: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Silver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake in St. Louis 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 62°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2019–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 29 ft |
| Surface Area | 46 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 70% |
| 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
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-07-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 56.86 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.73 | 0.17 lb |
| Black Crappie | 7.02 | 0.24 lb |
| White Sucker | 3.86 | 2.43 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.97 | 0.19 lb |
| GOS | 2.09 | 0.18 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
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
White Sucker
From the 2020-07-06 survey
Silver Lake is a 46 acre lake located in the northwest part of the city of Virginia. It is accessed by a concrete ramp on the lakes west shore, with a small parking area. Only electric motors are allowed on the lake. There are also two fishing piers (one on the south shore and one in the northeast corner), and a…
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
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 MN69-0662-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 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.
- Virginia WwtpVirginia · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MN0030163MajorRecent violation
- Virginia Department Of Public UtilitiesVirginia · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MN0003379
- Ispat Inland Mining Co-MinorcaVirginia · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MN0055964
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 19.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 45.63 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 2.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 45.63 acres.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in Silver Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Silver Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
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.
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Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA13 samples · 2020
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory