West Silent Lake
West Silent Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 346.55 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Max depth
- 58 ft
- Area
- 347 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Otter Tail County
West Silent Lake is a 347-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 58 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, West Silent Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near West Silent Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 58 ft |
| Surface Area | 347 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 34% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- West Silent Lake (East)Public
- East Silent Lake (East)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing West Silent 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-30 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 44.98 | 0.23 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 40.34 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 29.33 | 0.64 lb |
| BNS | 14.29 | — |
| JND | 12.50 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 9.71 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-05-30 survey
West Silent Lake is a 328-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north-central Otter Tail County approximately eight miles east of Pelican Rapids, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 58 feet; however, 36% of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for West Silent Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — West SilentFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — West SilentFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — West SilentPublic 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 | -0.114 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.69 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.09 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
West Silent 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 MN56-0519-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #31 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about West Silent Lake
What is the water quality grade for West Silent Lake?
- West Silent Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 346.55 acres.
Is West Silent Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. West Silent Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is West Silent Lake?
- West Silent Lake has a maximum depth of 58 feet. The lake covers 346.55 acres.
What fish are in West Silent Lake?
- Fish species found in West Silent Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. West Silent Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on West Silent Lake?
- West Silent Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include West Silent Lake (East), East Silent Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
113 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA113 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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