Silver Lake

Silver Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Waukesha County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI value of 32 puts Silver Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. Silver Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. Silver Lake covers 217 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Among the 48 graded lakes in Waukesha County, Silver Lake ranks 2 — in the top quartile locally.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Silver Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 3, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. A documented public access point at Silver Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.