Balsam Lake, Polk County- Critical Habitat Designation
This sensitive area survey was conducted on BALSAM Lake, which is located in central Polk County. BALSAM Lake is 2,054 acres in size, and is the largest lake in Polk County. The lake is separated into two main basins, a shallow east basin (maximum depth - 12 feet) known as "East BALSAM", and a deeper, larger west basin (maximum depth - 37 feet). Two smaller basins extend to the north of the main basin, and are known as "Boston Bay" and "Little BALSAM". There are eight islands in BALSAM Lake. The lake has two permanent inlets, Harder Creek and Rice Creek, and one permanent outlet, BALSAM Branch. There is a dam with a 29-foot head at the outlet.
Final Report and Products