Silver Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Silver Lake is mapped to a depth of 47 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 214 acres in Washtenaw County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey (depths read from the survey's isobath field; this lake's summary-depth column is blank in the source).
- Deepest sounding
- 47 ft
- Mean depth
- 15.6 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 214 acres
- Estimated volume
- 3,333 acre-ft · 1,086M gal
- Shoreline
- 3.29 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 5% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Trophic state
- Mesotrophic · satellite estimate · details
- Public access
- No DNR launch listed · check with Pinckney Recreation Area
- Borders
- Pinckney Recreation Area · Michigan DNR · 54% of shoreline
Additional depth details10 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–47 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 47 ft
49.8% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 37% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 42.41870, -83.95995
- MI DNR lake ID
- L22840
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.08×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.5 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.
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-23Silver Lake has a partly natural setting, generally sheltered geometry, some nearby classified roads. Watercraft controls: Restricted hours.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Good | 17.9 of 35 | 60% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (32% forest, 27% wetland; 20% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 19.0 of 29 | mean fetch 941 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Restricted hours | 10.9 of 18 | Restricted hours |
| 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 | Good | 7.8 of 18 | some nearby classified roads · 17 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 791 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
- Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 5% 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
- Moderate — 32% forest and 27% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & DNR surveys21 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
Common Carp
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 21 species found here — 21 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
Notable catches
Master Angler program · 1998–2025Trophy-size fish anglers caught here and registered with the DNR — what people have actually caught, distinct from what a survey netted or the state stocked below.
Catch details by species8 species
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (4) · artificial lure (4)
Method: spincasting (12) · still fishing (5) · ice fishing (4)
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
1 recordPlants & algae
How to identify invasive species in Michigan lakes →
What does non-native mean?
USGS records identify non-native species that have been documented for this lake or its shoreline. Non-native does not necessarily mean invasive, and historical records do not confirm current presence.
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
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & 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 47 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 214 acres in Washtenaw County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Silver Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Silver Lake is 15.6 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 21 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, but Silver Lake has 54% of its shoreline in Pinckney Recreation Area (Michigan DNR), which runs its own facilities and is not covered by that data. Check with the park for launch details.
