Silver Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Silver Lake is mapped to a depth of 65 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 15 acres in Washtenaw County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 65 ft
- Mean depth
- 23 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 15 acres
- Estimated volume
- 353 acre-ft · 115M gal
- Shoreline
- 0.61 mi · round
- Aquatic vegetation
- 10% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Trophic state
- Mesotrophic · satellite estimate · details
- Public access
- No public DNR launch identified
Additional depth details8 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–65 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 65 ft
31.6% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 47.4% is deeper than 20 ft. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.
Compare with another lakeProvenance
Sources: MI DNR inland lake contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL), MI DNR Boat Launches.
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Map details & sources5 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 42.18152, -83.96934
- MI DNR lake ID
- L22322
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.47×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 0.7 MB
Lake productivity & trophic state
Satellite estimateSatellite-estimated classification: Mesotrophic. Moderate nutrient levels and biological productivity. Based on satellite estimates of summer chlorophyll-a (LAGOS-US LANDSAT, 2020). No lake-specific measurement is available in this dataset.
Trophic state describes how biologically productive a lake is, based on indicators such as nutrients, algae and water clarity. It is not a swimming-safety or overall water-quality rating.
What do the categories mean?
- Oligotrophic≤ 2 µg/L · lower nutrient and algae levels, often clearer water and lower biological productivity.
- Mesotrophic · this lake2–7 µg/L · moderate nutrient levels and biological productivity.
- Eutrophic7–30 µg/L · higher nutrient levels and biological productivity, often with more algae or aquatic plant growth.
- Hypereutrophic> 30 µg/L · very high nutrient levels and biological productivity, with a greater potential for heavy algae growth and low water clarity.
Bands are summer (June–August) mean chlorophyll-a, the green pigment in algae, at the EPA 2012 National Lakes Assessment thresholds. Trophic condition can change over time and by measurement method. Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; satellite chlorophyll-a estimates from LAGOS-US LANDSAT.
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-23Silver Lake has a substantially developed setting, well sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure. No special watercraft restriction is identified in the current source.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Modest | 4.3 of 35 | 19% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (0% forest, 19% wetland; 20% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Excellent | 29.4 of 29 | mean fetch 281 m · 100% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · short fetch in most directions |
| Watercraft controls | None identified | 8.8 of 18 | No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law. |
| Public access | Not listed | — | No DNR-listed access site. Township, county and road-end launches are not in this source, so this is not evidence that access is poor — the component is excluded and the remaining weights are renormalized. |
| Road isolation | Very Good | 11.7 of 18 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 5 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 287 vehicles/day |
Additional paddling considerations
These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.
- Wake sensitivity
- Moderate — narrow in places — wakes would carry across parts of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 10% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
- Observed motorized activity
- Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
- Wildlife habitat potential
- Limited — 0% forest and 19% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys19 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
Lake Chubsucker
Warmouth
Hybrid Sunfish
Bluntnose Minnow
Blackchin Shiner
Blacknose Shiner
Least DarterAbout these fish → the Fish of Michigan guide
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 19 species found here — 19 open to harvest.
These are hook-and-line size, daily limit and season rules. Gear, spearing and bow fishing, spawning closures and rod limits are set by other Fisheries Orders and are not shown here.
From FO-206.26 (eff. 2026-04-01) / FO-215.23A (eff. 2023-09-15) / FO-254.25 (eff. 2025-10-10), checked against the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations digest · verified 2026-09-15. Regulations can change — Michigan DNR rules are the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations
Fishery
DNR SFR 2014-169Gamefish Largemouth Bass 19 · Northern Pike 14 · Bowfin 3
Panfish Bluegill 205 · Redear Sunfish 197 · Hybrid Sunfish 30
All survey species19 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
Non-native species records
No non-native species recorded in the available dataset. This does not confirm that no non-native species are present.
Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingState-managed · Entry fee · Modern & rustic restrooms · Paved parking
Amenities: Beach, boat rental, camping, concessions, grills, picnic tables, shelter, swimming access, walking trails, water pump
Bait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceSilver Lake — common questions
How deep is Silver Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Silver Lake is 65 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.
How big is Silver Lake?
Silver Lake covers about 15 acres in Washtenaw County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Silver Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Silver Lake is 23 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin. The page lists all 19 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Silver Lake?
No public launch for Silver Lake appears in the Michigan DNR access data. That is not the same as the lake being private -- municipal and private ramps are not in that source.
