Skip to main content
LakeQuality

Balsam Lake

Washburn County, Wisconsin325 acresView mapDirections

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Wisconsin DNR for this lake.

Max depth
49 ft
Bathymetric survey
Area
325 acres
Surface area
Shoreline
7.5 mi
Measured length
  • Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
  • 49 ft max depth

Balsam Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 325 acres.

Loading map…

Balsam Lake is a 325-acre lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 49 feet (25-foot average).

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Balsam Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Deep water49 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming conditions

No reading

Recreation use not supported

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Balsam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Hayward →

Get alerts for Balsam Lake →

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.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Balsam Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

49 ft

Average depth

25 ft

Surface area

325 acres

Shoreline

7.5 mi

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 16–18, 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

EPA Impairment Status

Balsam Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10004640 · Official waterbody report

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. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 325 acres.

Measurements on this page ↑

Is Balsam Lake safe to swim in?

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Balsam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.

Swimming on this page ↑

How deep is Balsam Lake?

Balsam Lake has a maximum depth of 49 feet and an average depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 325 acres.

Where this data comes from

Measurements for Balsam Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.

Other records on this page

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database