Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site

The LakeGrade rubric puts Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site at a C: clarity at 5.7 ft, 43 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 55 signal an intermediate trophic state. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. A maximum depth of 37 ft puts Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site covers 1,901 acres alongside partial shoreline records, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site ranks 57 of 74 in Polk County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site is on the Wisconsin infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 4 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. A documented public access point at Balsam Lake Little Balsam Site makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.