Yellow Lake
Yellow Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 2283 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Yellow Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Max depth
- 31 ft
- Area
- 2,283 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Yellow Lake is a 2,283-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 31 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. 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. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Yellow Lake ranks #25 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 26.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26.9 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Yellow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Yellow Lake in Burnett 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 Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Yellow Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Yellow Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1992. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Yellow Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2019Yellow Lake Sturgeon Management Plan 2019Management Plan · WI DNR · 2019 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 31 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,283 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake AvenuePublic
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 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.314 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.33 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005345 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #25 of 30 lakes in Burnett County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Yellow Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Yellow Lake
Where is Yellow Lake?
- Yellow Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Yellow Lake?
- Yellow Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 2283 acres.
Is Yellow Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Yellow Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Yellow Lake?
- Yellow Lake has a maximum depth of 31 feet. The lake covers 2283 acres.
What fish are in Yellow Lake?
- Fish species found in Yellow Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Sturgeon, Catfish. Yellow Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Yellow Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Yellow Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Yellow Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 Yellow Lake?
- Yellow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Avenue. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Yellow Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX46 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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