Balsam Lake
Balsam Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 715.83 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Max depth
- 37 ft
- Area
- 716 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Why Balsam Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Balsam Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Balsam Lake is a 716-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-08-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Balsam Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Balsam Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Balsam Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 716 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 41% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Balsam LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Balsam Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-27 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 11.78 | 0.15 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 6.33 | 0.82 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.22 | 0.29 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.56 | 2.46 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.98 | 1.37 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.08 | 0.11 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Bluegill
Tullibee (Cisco)
Black Crappie
Northern Pike
From the 2022-06-27 survey
Balsam Lake is a class 25 lake located 14 miles north of Taconite, MN. The lake has one public access and is moderately developed. Balsam Lake has a history of producing large Northern Pike. A special regulation was implemented in the spring of 2006 to maintain or improve size structure. The regulation requires all…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Balsam Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BalsamFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Balsam (0621)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BalsamPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.067 m/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Balsam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Balsam Lake (completed 1936), built primarily for recreation on the Balsam Creek; gravity-type dam, 16 ft tall and 30 ft long.
- Surface area
- 103 ac
- Normal storage
- 13,980 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 16,776 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 42 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00082 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Balsam Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0259-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Balsam Lake
Balsam Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Balsam Lake
What is the water quality grade for Balsam Lake?
- Balsam Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 715.83 acres.
Is Balsam Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Balsam Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Balsam Lake?
- Balsam Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 715.83 acres.
What fish are in Balsam Lake?
- Fish species found in Balsam Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Balsam Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Balsam Lake?
- Balsam Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Balsam Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Balsam Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
27 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA27 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory