Cree Lake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cree Lake
Satellite image of Cree Lake
Cree Lake Location in Saskatchewan
Location	Saskatchewan
Coordinates	57°30′N 106°30′W / 57.500°N 106.500°W / 57.500; -106.500
Lake type	glacial lake
Primary outflows	Cree River
Catchment area	4,468 km2 (1,725 sq mi)
Basin countries	Canada
Surface area	1,152 km2 (445 sq mi)
Average depth	14.9 m (49 ft)
Max. depth	60 m (200 ft)
Water volume	17.6 km3 (4.2 cu mi)
Shore length1	786 km (488 mi)
Surface elevation	487 m (1,598 ft)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Cree Lake is a large lake in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is the fourth biggest lake in the province. You can find it west of Reindeer Lake and south of Lake Athabasca.

There are no highways that go to Cree Lake. Instead, people usually reach it by a special type of airplane called a float plane. These planes can land on water.

About Cree Lake

Cree Lake is a glacial lake. This means it was formed by huge sheets of ice, called glaciers, many years ago. The lake covers a large area of about 1,152 square kilometers (445 square miles).

The deepest part of the lake is about 60 meters (197 feet) deep. Water flows out of Cree Lake into the Cree River.

People and History

For a long time, the Dene people have lived around Cree Lake. This area is part of their traditional lands. The English River Dene Nation has special reserve lands at three different spots on the lake.

Long ago, there were small settlements on the shores of Cree Lake. One settlement on the southwest side might have been a trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company over a hundred years ago. People lived there and traded goods.

In the 1960s and 1970s, there were still small groups of people living around the lake. Some worked at a fish plant on Turner Island, which was built in 1957. Others worked at weather stations or radio stations.

Getting Around Cree Lake

Since there are no roads, small airports help people get to Cree Lake. The Cree Lake (Crystal Lodge) Airport and the Cree Lake (Crystal Lodge) Water Aerodrome serve a place called Crystal Lodge. This lodge is a popular spot for people who like to fish.

Fish in the Lake

Cree Lake is home to many different kinds of fish. If you were to go fishing there, you might catch:

• Walleye
• Yellow perch
• Northern pike
• Lake trout
• Lake whitefish
• Cisco
• Burbot
• Arctic grayling
• White sucker
• Longnose sucker

Islands of Cree Lake

Cree Lake has many islands, some with names and some without. Here are a few of the named islands:

• Auriat Island
• Cowie Island
• Dahl Island
• Davies Island
• Dixon Island (Saskatchewan)
• Fleming Island (Saskatchewan)
• Ispatinow Island (This island has the Crystal Lodge and its airport)
• Johns Island (Saskatchewan)
• Keeping Island
• Laurier Island
• Pelletier Island
• Prowse Island
• Ring Island
• Rogers Island (Saskatchewan)
• Turner Island (Saskatchewan)

See also

In Spanish: Lago Cree para niños