Lacks healthy plant life
With almost no native aquatic plants left, nothing competes with algae or holds sediment in place.
About Silver Lake
71 acres, 2 miles of shoreline, one shared responsibility
Silver Lake sits in the Rice Creek Watershed District, straddling Columbia Heights and St. Anthony. Here is what the water looks like today.
- Size
- 71acres
- Max depth
- 47feet
- Average depth
- 6feet
- Shoreline
- 2miles
- Watershed district
- Rice Creek
Silver Lake habitat
What lives here — and what shouldn't
Native fish species
- Black bullhead
- Black crappie
- Bluegill
- Channel catfish
- Green sunfish
- Hybrid sunfish
- Largemouth bass
- Northern pike
- Walleye
- White sucker
- Yellow perch
Invasive fish species
- Common carp
Native aquatic plant species
None
Invasive plant species
- Eurasian milfoil
- Curlyleaf pondweed
That empty column is the whole problem. With no native aquatic plants to compete, algae and invasives have the lake to themselves.
Water quality assessment
Status
Impaired
- PhosphorusBelow goal
- Water clarityBelow goal
- Lake plant community qualityBelow threshold
Lake health score
40 / 100
Lake health grade
D+
Water quality score
23 / 100
Biology score
26 / 100
Hydrology score
71 / 100
Scores are drawn from the 2026 Silver Lake Improvement Strategy, prepared with the Rice Creek Watershed District and the Minnesota DNR.
Why Silver Lake is in trouble
Nothing here happens in isolation
Silver Lake is facing environmental threats, primarily low biodiversity of plant species, leading to algae blooms that harm water quality and promote invasive species like Eurasian watermilfoil.
Various initiatives — holding ponds, stormwater drains, barriers, and buffer zone landscaping — have been implemented to improve water quality and reduce contaminants. However, more comprehensive measures are needed to address the root causes of these issues.
Protecting the lake is crucial for its natural beauty and safe recreational use. Community involvement and sustainable practices are essential for its preservation for future generations.
Invasive species
Eurasian watermilfoil, curlyleaf pondweed and common carp crowd out natives and stir up nutrients.
Fertilizer & pollution
Lawn chemicals, road salt and storm drain debris run straight off the neighborhood into the lake.
Knowing the diagnosis is only useful if it changes what we do next.
See the restoration strategy