Yellow River Flowage Lake

Yellow River Flowage Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Washburn County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Trophically, Yellow River Flowage Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. A maximum depth of 17 ft puts Yellow River Flowage Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. The lake is compact at 85 acres, with partial shoreline records and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Yellow River Flowage Lake ranks 43 of 48 in Washburn County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

An invasive species record — Chinese Mystery Snail — has been logged at Yellow River Flowage Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 5 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.