Silver Lake (Kawartha Lakes) facts for kids

Silver Lake is a small lake located in the city of Kawartha Lakes in Ontario, Canada. It is found near the community of Coboconk. Silver Lake is the lowest lake on the Gull River. This river system helps supply water to Balsam Lake. Balsam Lake is at the very top of the Trent–Severn Waterway, a famous system of canals and rivers.

Like many other lakes in the Kawarthas region, Silver Lake sits in a natural dip in the land. This dip was formed between two very old types of rock. To the north, there is Precambrian granite, which is some of the oldest rock on Earth. To the south, there is younger Ordovician limestone.

Where is Silver Lake Located?

Silver Lake helps mark the border between two geographic areas: Somerville and Bexley. It is the most southern lake in a series of lakes and reservoirs. These lakes feed the Trent–Severn Waterway at its highest point.

How Water Flows Through Silver Lake

The main river flowing into Silver Lake is the Gull River. It enters the lake from the north, coming from Shadow Lake. There are also three smaller streams that flow into Silver Lake. One enters from the east, and two others from the southwest.

The main river flowing out of Silver Lake is also the Gull River. It leaves the lake from the southeast side. The Gull River then flows into Balsam Lake. From Balsam Lake, the water travels through the main Kawartha Lakes chain. It then goes into the Otonabee River and the Trent River. Finally, it reaches the Bay of Quinte, which is part of Lake Ontario.

What is the Geology of Silver Lake?

Silver Lake sits right on the dividing line between two major rock formations. To the north, you'll find the ancient Precambrian granite of the Canadian Shield. To the south, there are younger Paleozoic and Ordovician limestone rocks.

Rock Formations Around the Lake

You can see granite rocks sticking out of the ground starting about halfway up the lake. There's even a small island in the northern part of the lake with a cottage built on granite. On the southeast side, a cliff made of limestone rises several meters out of the water. This cliff follows the river southwest through Coboconk. It shows where the limestone meets the granite north of the lake.

What About the Weather at Silver Lake?

On July 26, 2008, a F1 tornado (which might have been an F2) touched down. It crossed over Silver Lake around 2:45 PM. Strong weather warnings were in place at that time.

Impact of the Tornado

The tornado caused damage to large areas of forest on both sides of the lake. However, luckily, no one was hurt. There was also no major damage reported to any of the cottages around the lake.