Balsam Lake
Washburn County, WisconsinView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Balsam Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 68 ft max depth
- Public access
Balsam Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.3 µg/L.
Balsam Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with an estimated average depth of about 68 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Washburn County, Balsam Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-04-13. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Balsam Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Balsam Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Balsam Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Balsam Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.8 ft. Phosphorus 19.3 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 19.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Balsam Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Balsam Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2024–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Balsam Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~68 ft est.
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Wisconsin has not published bathymetry for Balsam Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
86 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
245 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
4.1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,178 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Balsam LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Balsam Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Balsam Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin — 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Balsam Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Balsam Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Balsam Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3.27 µg/L/yr5 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Balsam Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Birchwood Village OfBirchwood · 1.5 mi away · NPDES WI0060003Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Washburn County
Frequently asked questions about Balsam Lake
Where is Balsam Lake?
- Balsam Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Balsam Lake?
- Balsam Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.3 µg/L.
Is Balsam Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Balsam Lake?
- Balsam Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Balsam Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Balsam Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 68 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
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.
Can I fish at Balsam Lake?
- Balsam Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Balsam Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Washburn County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Hayward Lakes area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Chippewa River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
77 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX77 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory