Little Yellow Lake
Burnett County, Wisconsin332 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Yellow Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Yellow Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 90.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 332 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Yellow Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Yellow Lake is a 332-acre lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-08-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Yellow Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing8 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Little Yellow Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Yellow Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Little Yellow Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Little Yellow Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 90.9 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 90.9µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 69 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Little Yellow Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Yellow Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Yellow Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
21 ft
Surface area
332 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
285 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
915 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Yellow Lake NarrowsPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Yellow Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Yellow Lake
- → Little Yellow Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Yellow Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Yellow Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Yellow Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.33 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Little Yellow Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005342 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Little Yellow Lake
Where is Little Yellow Lake?
- Little Yellow Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Yellow Lake?
- Little Yellow Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 90.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 332 acres.
Is Little Yellow Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Little Yellow Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Little Yellow Lake?
- Little Yellow Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 332 acres.
What fish are in Little Yellow Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Yellow Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Sturgeon, Catfish. Little Yellow Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Yellow Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Yellow Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Yellow Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Yellow Lake?
- Little Yellow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Yellow Lake Narrows. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Yellow Lake?
- Little Yellow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Little Yellow Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX1 sample · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory