Sylvia Lake
Sylvia Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 56 ft. Surface area: 85.25 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Typical in August
- 64°F
- Max depth
- 56 ft
- Area
- 85 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 230 days
Next lake in Stearns County
Why Sylvia 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 Sylvia 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.
Sylvia Lake is a 85-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 56 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 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 2025-09-15. 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 Sylvia Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sylvia Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sylvia Lake in Stearns 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 Sylvia Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Sylvia Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 59°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 64°F) and coldest in Jun (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 85 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sylvia Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 56 ft |
| Surface Area | 85 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 26% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sylvia LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sylvia 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-07-23 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 83.74 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 43.45 | — |
| JND | 34.03 | — |
| Bluegill | 14.26 | 0.16 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 13.89 | — |
| CSH | 12.19 | — |
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
From the 2018-07-23 survey
Sylvia Lake is a small, scenic lake in northern Stearns County about 5 miles north of Melrose. It's connected to Little Birch Lake via a short, but non-navigable channel. A fishing pier and shoreline fishing-site is located in Lake Sylvia County Park on the south end of the lake near the public boat access which is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sylvia Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SylviaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sylvia (1983)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SylviaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SylviaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.108 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.54 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.78 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (18 observations).
Estimated open water season: 230 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-08 (2005) | 2008-04-25 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-25 (2002) | 2021-12-17 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-23
EPA Impairment Status
Sylvia 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 MN77-0089-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.48 km)
Graded lakes near Sylvia Lake
Sylvia Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Sylvia Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sylvia Lake?
- Sylvia Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 56 ft. Surface area: 85.25 acres.
Is Sylvia Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Sylvia 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 Sylvia Lake?
- Sylvia Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August, from 85 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sylvia Lake?
- Sylvia Lake has a maximum depth of 56 feet. The lake covers 85.25 acres.
What fish are in Sylvia Lake?
- Fish species found in Sylvia Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), channel catfish, common carp, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sylvia Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
When does Sylvia Lake thaw?
- Sylvia Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 230 days.
Are there boat ramps on Sylvia Lake?
- Sylvia Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sylvia Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
78 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA78 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
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