Wollaston Lake
Encyclopedia
Wollaston Lake is located in northeastern Saskatchewan
, Canada
. With a surface area of 2286 km² (excluding islands; 2681 km² if islands are included), it is the largest lake
in the world that drains naturally in two directions. The Fond du Lac River
flows out of the lake to the northwest, where it drains into Lake Athabasca
, which ultimately drains into the Arctic Ocean
via the Mackenzie River
system. The Cochrane River (Canada) flows out of the northeastern side of the lake and into Reindeer Lake
, which drains via the Churchill River
system into Hudson Bay
.
The only settlement on its shores is also named Wollaston Lake, with a population of around 1,400 people, a quarter of whom are members of the Lac La Hache Indian Band. Access to the lake is provided by the community airstrip (Wollaston Lake Airport
) and an all-weather road (Highway 905
) to La Ronge. This road passes by the western side of the lake, while the community of Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan
is located on the eastern side, but the lake can be crossed by a winter road when the lake is frozen (November through June) and by the Wollaston barge
when it is not. Air service is also provided to Points North Landing
, a service centre for nearby uranium
mine
s. This industry provides jobs for local residents, but has raised concerns over possible contamination of the lake.
Samuel Hearne
learned of the lake in 1770 and David Thompson
noted in 1796 the dual outlets as “perhaps without parallel in the world.” In 1807, Peter Fidler
named the lake after George Hyde Wollaston.
species found in the lake include walleye
, yellow perch
, northern pike
, lake trout
, arctic grayling
, lake whitefish
, cisco
, burbot
, white sucker
and longnose sucker
.
Treated effluent
from the Rabbit Lake
uranium
mine is released into Hidden Bay on the southwestern side of the lake.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. With a surface area of 2286 km² (excluding islands; 2681 km² if islands are included), it is the largest lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the world that drains naturally in two directions. The Fond du Lac River
Fond du Lac River (Mackenzie River)
The Fond du Lac River is one of the upper branches of the Mackenzie River system, draining into the Arctic Ocean, located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The river is long, has a watershed of , and its mean discharge is per second.-Hydrology:...
flows out of the lake to the northwest, where it drains into Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca is located in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan and the northeast corner of Alberta between 58° and 60° N.-History:The name in the Dene language originally referred only to the large delta formed by the confluence the Athabasca River at the southwest corner of the lake...
, which ultimately drains into the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
via the Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
system. The Cochrane River (Canada) flows out of the northeastern side of the lake and into Reindeer Lake
Reindeer Lake
Reindeer Lake is a lake in Western Canada located on the border between northeastern Saskatchewan and northwestern Manitoba, with the majority in Saskatchewan. The name of the lake appears to be a translation of the Algonquian name...
, which drains via the Churchill River
Churchill River (Hudson Bay)
The Churchill River is a major river in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada. From the head of the Churchill Lake it is 1,609 km long. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1685 to 1691...
system into Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
.
The only settlement on its shores is also named Wollaston Lake, with a population of around 1,400 people, a quarter of whom are members of the Lac La Hache Indian Band. Access to the lake is provided by the community airstrip (Wollaston Lake Airport
Wollaston Lake Airport
Wollaston Lake Airport, , is located adjacent to Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada.-Airlines and destinations:...
) and an all-weather road (Highway 905
Saskatchewan Highway 905
Highway 905 is a highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs from Highway 102 to Highway 964 near Black Lake. The highway is approximately 456 km long.Highway 905 starts at Saskatchewan Highway 102, about 22 km southwest of Southend...
) to La Ronge. This road passes by the western side of the lake, while the community of Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan
Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan
Wollaston Lake is a hamlet in Saskatchewan. It is the only community on Wollaston Lake. The community has a population of about 800 people, a quarter of whom are members of the Lac La Hache Indian Band. Access is provided by Wollaston Lake Airport and Highway 905. The highway is on the west side of...
is located on the eastern side, but the lake can be crossed by a winter road when the lake is frozen (November through June) and by the Wollaston barge
Wollaston Barge Ferry
The Wollaston Barge Ferry is a ferry that operates in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in the far north region of the province. The ferry crosses Wollaston Lake, providing a link between Saskatchewan Highway 905 and Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan.The barge is operated by the Saskatchewan...
when it is not. Air service is also provided to Points North Landing
Points North Landing
Points North Landing is a permanent camp northwest of Wollaston Lake, on Saskatchewan Highway 905 in Saskatchewan, Canada. It has an airport and a water aerodrome. Gasoline and accommodation are available. Kenton Joel Carnegie was killed near here, possibly by wolves.The site is used as a staging...
, a service centre for nearby uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
s. This industry provides jobs for local residents, but has raised concerns over possible contamination of the lake.
Samuel Hearne
Samuel Hearne
Samuel Hearne was a an English explorer, fur-trader, author, and naturalist. He was the first European to make an overland excursion across northern Canada to the Arctic Ocean, actually Coronation Gulf, via the Coppermine River...
learned of the lake in 1770 and David Thompson
David Thompson
David Thompson may refer to:In exploration:*David Thompson , founder of the first European settlement in New Hampshire, United States...
noted in 1796 the dual outlets as “perhaps without parallel in the world.” In 1807, Peter Fidler
Peter Fidler
Peter Fidler may refer to:*Peter Fidler , the English explorer and surveyor*Peter Fidler MBE, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sunderland since 1999...
named the lake after George Hyde Wollaston.
Fish species
FishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
species found in the lake include walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, lake trout
Lake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
, arctic grayling
Arctic grayling
Arctic grayling is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It comprises five subspecies native to the Nearctic and Palearctic ecozones. T. a. arcticus is widespread throughout the Arctic and Pacific drainages in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia, as well as the upper...
, lake whitefish
Lake whitefish
The lake whitefish , also called the Sault whitefish or gizzard fish, is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. A valuable commercial fish, they are also...
, cisco
Cisco (fish)
The ciscoes are salmonid fish of the genus Coregonus that differ from other members of the genus in having upper and lower jaws of approximately equal length and high gillraker counts...
, burbot
Burbot
The burbot is the only gadiform fish inhabiting freshwaters. It is also known as mariah, the lawyer, and eelpout. It is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk...
, white sucker
White Sucker
The White Sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. It is a long, round-bodied fish with a dark green, grey, copper, brown, or black back and sides and a light underbelly. When fullgrown, it is between 12...
and longnose sucker
Longnose sucker
The longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus, is a freshwater species of fish inhabiting cold, clear waters in North America from northern USA to the top of the continent. In addition, it is one of two species of sucker to inhabit Asia, specifically the rivers of eastern Siberia...
.
Treated effluent
Effluent
Effluent is an outflowing of water or gas from a natural body of water, or from a human-made structure.Effluent is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as “wastewater - treated or untreated - that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers...
from the Rabbit Lake
Rabbit Lake mine
Rabbit Lake is the second largest uranium milling facility in the western world, and is the longest operating uranium production facility in Saskatchewan. The facility is located approximately 800 km north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on the northeast edge of the uranium rich Athabasca Basin....
uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
mine is released into Hidden Bay on the southwestern side of the lake.