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!
Lake size: 71 acres
Watershed size: 391 acres
Average depth: 5 feet
Maximum depth: 14 feet
DNR Shoreland classification: Natural Environment
MPCA classification: Shallow lake (average depth less than 15 feet)
MPCA Impaired Waters status: Impaired for nutrients
Invasive species: Curlyleaf Pondweed, Purple Loosestrife
Water Quality
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.
For water quality summaries for this and other lakes, visit the factsheets page.
Lake Grade
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 waterbody impairments, visit the Minnesota's Impaired Waters List webpage managed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
