Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site vs Half Moon Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Half Moon 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 Half Moon 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: Half Moon 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 — Half Moon 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.
Half Moon Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 15.3 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site | Half Moon Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 5.7 ft | 15.3 ft |
| Phosphorus | 42.7 µg/L | 13.9 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 37 ft | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,901 acres | 550 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 4 | 4 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Half Moon Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site's Grade D. Water clarity: 15.3 ft vs 5.7 ft. For fishing diversity, Half Moon Lake also leads with 4 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.