Bodies of Water
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area covers 1,350 acres (550 ha) and includes four distinct bodies of water, two artificial lakes, the Fox River, and Silver Springs. The larger of the two lakes, Loon Lake, covers 21 acres (8.5 ha) and has 0.9 miles (1.4 km) of shoreline. Loon Lake's maximum depth is 20 feet (6.1 m) and it has an average depth of 11.8 feet (3.6 m). Loon Lake, sometimes known as Silver Spring Lake, was constructed in 1960 when a lowland area was excavated. The lake's water level is maintained through a small 20-acre (8.1 ha) watershed and groundwater seepage. Water quality at Loon Lake was identified as "good" in 1996 by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Beaver Lake, north of Loon Lake, is smaller, covering 4.5 acres (1.8 ha). It has almost a half mile (800 m) of shoreline and a maximum depth of 14 feet (4.3 m); Beaver Lake's average depth is 8 feet (2.4 m).
The park's name comes from a natural spring located along a trail on the south end of the park. The spring's name is derived from the effect of sunlight on its surface, which makes the pool appear to shimmer like silver. Even through the winter, the bubbling spring never freezes, and plants often poke through snow surrounding the watercress-bordered pool in the coldest months. Three miles of the Fox River, which Silver Springs empties into, flows through the park's north end.
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