Clark, Wood
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The Yellow River is classified as a warm water sport fishery. Pirate Perch, which are on the state watch species list, inhabit the Yellow River. The village of Necedah and O'Dell Bay Sanitary District discharge their effluent to the Yellow River. Fish contaminant monitoring should be conducted above and below Necedah. This river is presently listed on the Federal 303(d) Impaired Waterbodies list.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
Overview
The Upper Yellow River is classified a warm water sport fishery. Habitat conditions are impacted by “flashy” stream flows. Stream flows rise rapidly (flashy) as a result of runoff quickly delivered to the streams from poorly drained soils and landuse practices in the watershed. Channel scouring, streambank erosion and deposition of sediment and nutrients from agricultural lands can degrade instream-habitat. The city of Pittsville WWTP discharges its effluent into the Upper Yellow River. The Upper Yellow River is presently listed on the Federal 303(d) Impaired Waterbodies list for high levels of bacteria.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Yellow River T25N, R1E, S1,Surface Acres = 5.5, Miles = 3 .O, Gradient = 5.3 feet per mile.
Yellow River is a light brown colored, medium hard water stream that flows southeast into Wood County and then into Juneau County where it joins the Wisconsin River in Castle Rock Flowage. Except for the lower three miles, the river was intermittent in Clark County during 1964. Its fishery is primarily panfish and forage species. Carp are present. About 85 percent of the watershed area is cleared land. Furbearers are present. There is no public land adjoining the river. Access is possible from several road crossings, but during 1964 only one passed over the flowing portion of the stream.
From: Klick, Thomas A. and C.W. Threinen, 1965. Surface Water Resources of Clark County: Lake and Stream Classification Project. Wisconsin Conservation Department, Madison, WI.
Date 1965
Author Aquatic Biologist
Condition
Wisconsin has over 84,000 miles of streams, 15,000 lakes and milllions of acres of wetlands. Assessing the condition of this vast amount of water is challenging. The state's water monitoring program uses a media-based, cross-program approach to analyze water condition. An updated monitoring strategy (2015-2020) is now available. Compliance with Clean Water Act fishable, swimmable standards are located in the Executive Summary of Water Condition in 2018. See also the 'monitoring and projects' tab.
Reports
Recommendations
Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.
TMDL Monitoring
The Purpose of this project is to conduct sampling that is required to complete a TMDL on the Dexter Lake watershed. The previous two years were used to collect enough data to list Dexter Lake on the 303D list with nutrients as an impairment.
Monitor or Propose 303(d) Listing
Dexter Lake FY07 303D VALIDATION, FY07 SPECIAL STUDY WCR 303d and TMDL
Nine Key Element Plan
Upper Yellow River PWS Plan - Nine Key Element Plan - The Upper Yellow River Priority Watershed Project plan assesses the nonpoint sources of pollution in the Upper Yellow River Watershed and guides the implementation of nonpoint source control measures. These control measures are needed to meet specific water resource objectives for the Upper Yellow River and its tributaries. Nonpoint sources of pollutants most commonly found in this watershed include: polluted runoff from barnyards and feedlots, sediment from cropland erosion, sediment from eroding streambanks, and runoff from winterspread manure. The purpose of this project is to reduce the amount of pollutants originating from nonpoint sources that reach surface water and groundwater within the Upper Yellow River Priority Watershed Project area.
Monitor Baseline Survey
Fish and Aquatic Habitat Staff should conduct baseline non-wadable monitoring within the Lower Yellow River
Management Goals
Wisconsin's Water Quality Standards provide qualitative and quantitative goals for waters that are protective of Fishable, Swimmable conditions [Learn more]. Waters that do not meet water quality standards are considered impaired and restoration actions are planned and carried out until the water is once again fishable and swimmable
Management goals can include creation or implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load analysis, a Nine Key Element Plan, or other restoration work, education and outreach and more. If specific recommendations exist for this water, they will be displayed below online.
Monitoring
Monitoring the condition of a river, stream, or lake includes gathering physical, chemical, biological, and habitat data. Comprehensive studies often gather all these parameters in great detail, while lighter assessment events will involve sampling physical, chemical and biological data such as macroinvertebrates. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish communities integrate watershed or catchment condition, providing great insight into overall ecosystem health. Chemical and habitat parameters tell researchers more about human induced problems including contaminated runoff, point source dischargers, or habitat issues that foster or limit the potential of aquatic communities to thrive in a given area. Wisconsin's Water Monitoring Strategy was recenty updated.
Grants and Management Projects
Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 1352800 | Yellow River | 10017316 | Upstream Yellow River Road | 9/28/2006 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1352800 | Yellow River | 723146 | Yellow River at Ebbe Road | 9/26/1990 | 5/21/1991 | Map | Data |
| 1352800 | Yellow River | 723145 | Yellow River at Cth-H | 9/26/1990 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1352800 | Yellow River | 10017087 | Yellow River - Sampled Riffle 80 Yds. Below Cthv | 7/5/1989 | 7/5/1989 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Yellow River is located in the Upper Yellow (Wood Co.) River watershed which is 212.95 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (42%), forest (22.40%) and a mix of wetland (17%) and other uses (18.60%). This watershed has stream miles, lake acres and 22,147.27 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, High for runoff impacts on lakes and High for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of High. This value can be used in ranking the watershed or individual waterbodies for grant funding under state and county programs.However, all waters are affected by diffuse pollutant sources regardless of initial water quality. Applications for specific runoff projects under state or county grant programs may be pursued. For more information, go to surface water program grants.