North Wabasca Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Wabasca Lake |
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 North Wabasca Lake
Location in Alberta
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| Location | Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17, Alberta |
| Coordinates | 56°02′51″N 113°55′39″W / 56.04750°N 113.92750°W |
| Type | Mesotrophic |
| Primary inflows | Wabasca River, Willow River |
| Primary outflows | Wabasca River |
| Catchment area | 3,819.42 km2 (1,474.69 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | +10 km (6.2 mi) |
| Max. width | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
| Surface area | 101.45 km2 (39.17 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 5.8 m (19 ft) |
| Max. depth | 17 m (56 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 55.69 km (34.60 mi) |
| Settlements | Wabasca, Wabasca 166B, Wabasca 166C |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
North Wabasca Lake is located in northern Alberta, Canada, 322km north of Edmonton and is the fifteenth largest lake in Alberta. The hamlet of Wabasca is located on the southeast shore of the lake, and along the path of the river flowing north from South Wabasca Lake. Two First Nations Reserves border the lake, Wabasca 166C in the northeast, and Wabasca 166B in the south.
Geography
Surface area of the lake measures 101 km2 (39 sq mi) and is over 10 km (6.2 mi) long and 6 km (3.7 mi) at its widest point. North Wabasca Lake averages 5.8 m (19 ft) in depth and is 17 m (56 ft) at its deepest. The South Wabasca Lake outlet and Willow River in the south are the primary inflows. The lake drains northwards into the Peace River by way of the Wabasca River and is located in the watershed which comprises part of the south-central headwaters of the Mackenzie River System.
Ecology
Flora
Located in the Wabasca Lowland Ecoregion, the land in the watershed supporting the lake is mostly covered in forests of Trembling aspen, Balsam poplar, and White spruce. This is followed by shrub-land and grassland interlaced with areas of muskeg and Black spruce. Urban and industrial development make up a small percentage of the land use with agricultural use being almost entirely non-existent.
Fauna
Common sport fishing species found in the lake are Northern Pike, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Lake Whitefish and Burbot. Other species of fish found in the lake include Northern Cisco, White Sucker, and Longnose Sucker. Over 25 species of zooplankton are found in North Wabasca Lake and are an important indicator of the health of the lake. Some examples of species native to the lake include Rotifer, Cladocera, Calanoida Copepod, Cyclopoida Copepod, and Nauplii. These small and microscopic animals are an important link in the food web of the lake.
