Balsam Lake

Balsam Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI value of 36 puts Balsam Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. A maximum depth of 37 ft puts Balsam Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. Balsam Lake covers 1,901 acres alongside partial shoreline records, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Within Polk County's 77 graded lakes, Balsam Lake ranks 43 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Balsam Lake 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. Walleye are documented at Balsam Lake, one of 4 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Balsam Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.