Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site vs Balsam Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Balsam Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site (D, Poor). Both are in Polk County, Wisconsin.
Both Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site and Balsam Lake sit in Wisconsin. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any grade differences here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies grading them. The grades are meaningfully apart: Balsam Lake grades a B while Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site grades a D. That two-letter spread reflects real underlying differences — different watershed inputs, different depth profiles, or different monitoring rigor.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Balsam Lake is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?
Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site
Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft.
Balsam Lake
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site | Balsam Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 5.7 ft | 6.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 42.7 µg/L | 16.1 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 37 ft | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,901 acres | 1,901 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 4 | 4 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Balsam Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site's Grade D. Water clarity: 6.6 ft vs 5.7 ft. For fishing diversity, Balsam Lake also leads with 4 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.