Little Yellow Lake

Little Yellow Lake grades an F: water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate poorly, placing it among the most stressed lakes monitored in Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

At a TSI of 69, Little Yellow Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 21 ft puts Little Yellow Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. Little Yellow Lake covers 332 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within the 57 graded lakes of Burnett County, Little Yellow Lake sits at rank 57, near the bottom of the county list.

An invasive species record — Chinese Mystery Snail — has been logged at Little Yellow Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 8 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.