South Silver Lake
Martin County, Minnesota252 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for South Silver Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 22 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
South Silver Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 252.38 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 8, 2022 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at South Silver Lake. DNR survey details →
South Silver Lake is a 252-acre lake in Martin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 22 feet (14-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
South Silver Lake covers about 250 acres in Martin County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is March 25, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around South Silver Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What South Silver Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 25
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. South Silver Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether South 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 South Silver Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for South Silver Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 61 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about South Silver Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
South Silver Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2017–2018) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full South Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 8, 2022 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at South Silver Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows South Silver Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-08 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2022-08-08 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 42.55 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 34.49 | 8–11 in 2022-08-08 | 0.39 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.54 | 5–8 in 2022-08-08 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 13.38 | 3–7 in 2022-08-08 | 0.27 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 6.64 |
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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
From the 2022-08-08 survey
South Silver Lake is a 245-acre, deep lake, located in Martin County. The maximum depth is 22 feet, making it one of the deeper lakes in the Windom management area. A survey was conducted the week of August 8, 2022 to monitor the fish population using 3 gill nets and 9 trap nets. Fourteen species of fish were caught…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for South 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 — South SilverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — South SilverFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — South SilverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
22 ft
Average depth
14 ft
Surface area
252 acres
Shoreline
4 mi
Littoral zone
56%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
18 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,198 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- South Silver LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near South Silver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near South Silver Lake in Martin 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.
Top-rated places to stay near South 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 →
Follow South Silver Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing South Silver Lake
- → South Silver Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → South Silver Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → South Silver Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from South Silver Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 25
Earliest Feb 27, 2024 · Latest May 5, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 13, 2018 · Latest Jan 11, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Mar 10
2026
40 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
South 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: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN46-0020-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Martin County
Frequently asked questions about South Silver Lake
Where is South Silver Lake?
- South Silver Lake is a lake in Martin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of South Silver Lake?
- South Silver Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 252.38 acres.
Is South Silver Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. South Silver Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of South Silver Lake?
- South Silver Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2018). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is South Silver Lake?
- South Silver Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet and an average depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 252.38 acres.
What fish are in South Silver Lake?
- Fish species found in South Silver Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white bass, white crappie, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. South Silver Lake is located in Martin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at South Silver Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 8, 2022 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at South Silver Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows South Silver Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does South Silver Lake thaw?
- South Silver Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 25. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 251 days.
Are there boat ramps on South Silver Lake?
- South Silver Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include South Silver Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at South Silver Lake?
- South 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 South Silver Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Martin County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
31 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA31 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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