South Silver Lake
South Silver Lake in Martin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 252.38 acres.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 22 ft
- Area
- 252 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 25
- Open water
- 251 days
Next lake in Martin County
Why South Silver Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For South Silver Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
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 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for South Silver Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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
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Water Temperature
South Silver Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 22 ft |
| Average Depth | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 252 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 56% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Iowa Lake - EmmetPublic
- Iowa LakePublic
- South Silver LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing South Silver Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-08 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 42.55 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 34.49 | 0.39 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.54 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 13.38 | 0.27 lb |
| JND | 8.59 | — |
| Fathead Minnow | 6.64 | — |
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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.032 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (40 observations).
Estimated open water season: 251 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-02-27 (2024) | 2008-05-05 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-13 (2018) | 2024-01-11 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-10
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN46-0020-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near South Silver Lake
South Silver Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Martin County
Frequently asked questions about South Silver Lake
What is the water quality grade for South Silver Lake?
- South Silver Lake in Martin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 252.38 acres.
Is South Silver Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. South Silver Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of South Silver Lake?
- South Silver Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, 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.
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 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Iowa Lake - Emmet, Iowa Lake, South Silver Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore South Silver Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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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)
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