Balsam Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Balsam Lake grades a B, with clarity at 10.5 ft and phosphorus readings still being added placing it above the Minnesota median.

A TSI near 43 places Balsam Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. The lake bottoms out at 37 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 716 acres, Balsam Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 10.3 miles of shoreline. Balsam Lake sits at rank 77 of 141 in Itasca County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Balsam Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 14 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.