Yellow River Flowage Lake
Washburn County, Wisconsin85 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Yellow River Flowage Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 17 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Yellow River Flowage Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 85 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Yellow River Flowage Lake. DNR survey details →
Yellow River Flowage Lake is a 85-acre mesotrophic lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Washburn County, Yellow River Flowage Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Yellow River Flowage Lake covers about 85 acres in Washburn County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Yellow River Flowage Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Yellow River Flowage Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Yellow River Flowage 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 Yellow River Flowage Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Yellow River Flowage Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus 23.1 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 23.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Yellow River Flowage Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Yellow River Flowage Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Yellow River Flowage Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
17 ft
Surface area
85 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- DNR Hatchery Picnic GroundsPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Yellow River Flowage Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Yellow River Flowage Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Yellow River Flowage Lake
- → Yellow River Flowage Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Yellow River Flowage Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Yellow River Flowage Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Yellow River Flowage 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.
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Yellow River Flowage Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Spooner Lake (completed 1884), built primarily for recreation on the YELLOW; gravity-type dam, 11 ft tall and 200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,092 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 9,480 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 20 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Washburn County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00665 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Yellow River Flowage Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Wi Dnr Gov Tommy Thompson Fish HatcherySpooner · 0.2 mi away · NPDES WI0049191Recent violation
- Spooner City OfSpooner, City Of · 1.4 mi away · NPDES WI0021067
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Washburn County
Frequently asked questions about Yellow River Flowage Lake
Where is Yellow River Flowage Lake?
- Yellow River Flowage Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Yellow River Flowage Lake?
- Yellow River Flowage Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 85 acres.
Is Yellow River Flowage Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Yellow River Flowage Lake?
- Yellow River Flowage Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 85 acres.
What fish are in Yellow River Flowage Lake?
- Fish species found in Yellow River Flowage Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Yellow River Flowage Lake is located in Washburn County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Yellow River Flowage Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Yellow River Flowage Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Yellow River Flowage Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Yellow River Flowage Lake?
- Yellow River Flowage Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include DNR Hatchery Picnic Grounds. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Yellow River Flowage Lake?
- Yellow River Flowage 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 Yellow River Flowage Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX6 samples · 2025
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory