Silver Lake
Columbia County, Wisconsin70 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Silver Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Silver Lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 70 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Silver Lake. DNR survey details →
Silver Lake is a 70-acre mesotrophic lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Columbia County, Silver Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-08-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Silver Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water42 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Silver Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 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 Wisconsin DNR 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 8.8 ft. Phosphorus 23.2 µg/L. TSI 48.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 23.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 48 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Silver Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on 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 3 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
70 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Stays near Silver Lake
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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 readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-5.3 µg/L/yr3 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Silver Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Goetz Assocaites IncNorth Freedom · 3.5 mi away · NPDES WI0035998Recent violation
- J L Oil IncPortage · 1 mi away · NPDES WI0030775
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.
Nearby Lakes in Columbia County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake
Where is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake is a lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 70 acres.
Is Silver Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Silver Lake?
- Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 70 acres.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in Silver Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Silver Lake is located in Columbia County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Silver Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on 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 3 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Silver Lake?
- Public access to Silver Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX14 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes