Silver Lake

Located in Shorewood, Silver Lake sits at the edge of the watershed district. It is the only lake in the District with a native wild rice population, a rarity in metro area lakes!

Silver Lake is classified as a “Shallow Lake” by the MPCA. To be considered healthy, the lake must have very low average phosphorus and chlorophyll-a levels and an average water clarity of 1.0 meters (3.3 feet) or greater.

From June through September every year, District staff visit this and other lakes every two weeks to collect water samples and take readings. Samples are sent to a laboratory to be tested for nutrients and other compounds. Staff also measure water clarity by lowering a Secchi disk into the water and measuring how deep it goes before it is no longer visible. The data indicates the lake’s health based on standards set by the MPCA.

Silver Lake - Water Quality Grade

Lake WQ Grade C.png RPBCWD staff assigned this letter grade to the lake based upon how well it is meeting water quality goals. Learn more about lake water quality grades.

For more information about the water quality and grades for lakes monitored in the District, visit the lake factsheets page.

Lake Factsheet

Silver Lake Factsheet

Several water quality parameters are monitored for the lake including Total Phosphorus, Chlorophyll-a, and water clarity. The results are compared to standards set by the MPCA. The District also collects data about native aquatic plant populations and invasive species. Learn more in the lake factsheet.

Open Factsheet

Watershed Location

Lake and Watershed Characteristics

Size	71 acres
Volume	190 acre-ft
Average depth	5 feet
Max depth	14 feet
Watershed size	391 acres
MPCA lake classification	Shallow Lake
Impairment listing	Nutrients
Trophic status	Hypereutrophic
Common fish	Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, Central Mudminnow
Invasive species	Curlyleaf Pondweed, Purple Loosestrife

For more information about waterbody impairments, visit the Minnesota's Impaired Waters List webpage managed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Related Projects

Silver Lake Water Quality Improvement Project

This project will stabilize a ravine and capture runoff to reduce future erosion along Silver Lake.

Silver Lake Water Quality Project

The Watershed District is working to engage residents who live in Silver Lake's watershed to take action to protect clean water.