Yellow River

The Yellow River or  Huáng Hé is the third-longest river in Asia, following the Yangtze River and Yenisei River, and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of 5,464 km (3,395 mi). Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai province of western China, it flows through nine provinces, and it empties into the Bohai Sea near the city of Dongying in Shandong province. The Yellow River basin has an east–west extent of about 1,900 kilometers (1,180 mi) and a north–south extent of about 1,100 km (680 mi). Its total basin area is about 742,443 square kilometers (286,659 sq mi).

The Yellow River is called "the cradle of Chinese civilization", because its basin was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilization, and it was the most prosperous region in early Chinese history. However, because of frequent devastating floods and course changes produced by the continual elevation of the river bed (due in part to manmade erosion upstream), sometimes above the level of its surrounding farm fields, it also has the names China's Sorrow and Scourge of the Sons of Han.

Yellow River (Iowa)

The Yellow River is a 53.5-mile-long (86.1 km) tributary of the Mississippi River in northeastern Iowa. It originates in southwestern Winneshiek County and flows through southern Allamakee County, receiving tributaries from northern Clayton County, before joining the Mississippi near Marquette and Effigy Mounds National Monument.

Much of the river's course is very scenic, coursing between vegetated limestone cliffs. The watershed is located in northeastern Iowa’s unglaciated Driftless Area. The catchment measures 154,666 acres (625.91 km²) and is mainly state forest or farmland. Much of the region is quite rugged, and little urban development has encroached upon it.

Its beauty, lack of development, recreational potential and interesting wildlife habitats make it a candidate for development as a park. The state has developed Yellow River State Forest over time (the lavender parts of the map here). Effigy Mounds National Monument has also grown, either by direct purchase or from gifts.

Yellow River (Chippewa River)

The Yellow River in north central Wisconsin is a tributary of the Chippewa River. For the most part it is a mud and rock-bottomed river flowing through forest and farmland. It is one of four distinct rivers in the state bearing the name Yellow River.

Geography

This Yellow River begins at Matt Ochs Lake and Perch Lake in the township of Molitor near Perkinstown in the Chequamegon National Forest. This area of small lakes and swamps is the terminal moraine left by the last glacier, which reached this far about 18,000 years ago. The river runs a short way before it forms Chequamegon Waters Flowage, locally known as Miller Dam. Below Miller Dam, there is one more dam, at Cadott, forming another small reservoir, before the river joins the Chippewa River when it flows into Lake Wissota at Moon Bay.

Much of the Yellow is undeveloped - in particular the upper stretches through the Chequamegon Forest. In very few places will you see any sign of man. The only settlements along the river are Gilman and Cadott.