Yellow Birch Lake
Yellow Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 192 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Yellow Birch Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 4.4 ft
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 192 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Yellow Birch Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Yellow Birch Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by WI DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Yellow Birch Lake is a 192-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake supports 6 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 2026-07-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Yellow Birch Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4.4 ft. Trophic State Index: 56.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Yellow Birch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Yellow Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Yellow Birch Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Yellow Birch Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Yellow Birch Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1993. 12 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 192 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Wisconsin River - Hwy GPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Yellow Birch Lake
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: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.08 m/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Yellow Birch Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007690 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.36 km)
Graded lakes near Yellow Birch Lake
Yellow Birch Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Yellow Birch Lake
Where is Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 192 acres.
Is Yellow Birch Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Yellow Birch Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 192 acres.
What fish are in Yellow Birch Lake?
- Fish species found in Yellow Birch Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Yellow Birch Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Yellow Birch Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Yellow Birch Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Yellow Birch Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wisconsin River - Hwy G. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Yellow Birch Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
63 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX63 samples · 2020–2026
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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