Lakes of Biggar, Saskatchewan facts for kids
There are many lakes in the rural municipality of Biggar No. 347, Saskatchewan. This article tells you all about four of these cool lakes: Castlewood Lake, Biggar Trout Pond, Springwater Lake, and Coopers Lake.
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Contents
Discovering the Lakes
Castlewood Lake
Castlewood Lake is found about 4.4 km west of Biggar, Saskatchewan. You can get there from highways 14 and 51. This lake has a beach, a dam, four peninsulas (pieces of land almost surrounded by water), and even an island! It is about 5 km long. At its widest point, it is about 50 m across. The deepest part of the lake is about 4 m deep.
Biggar Trout Pond
The Biggar Trout Pond is located about 2 km north of Biggar. You can reach it from Highway 4. This pond is a great spot for fishing! It has a special aerator to keep the water healthy for fish. There's also a grill, a fishing bridge, and covered picnic areas. It usually has one island, but sometimes two, depending on how high the water is. The pond is about 200 m wide and 200 m long. It is about 1.5 m deep. Local volunteers help stock the pond with trout.
Coopers Lake
Coopers Lake is very close to Castlewood Lake, about 4.5 km west of Biggar. You can get to it from Highway 14. This lake is about 200 m long and 50 m wide. It is about 4 m deep.
Springwater Lake
Springwater Lake is located about 20 km away from Biggar, Saskatchewan. You can get to it using different gravel roads or Highway 51. This is a big lake, about 20 km long and 500 m wide. It is about 4 m deep, though it gradually gets shallower to 2 m before dropping back down to 4 m.
Lake History
How Castlewood Lake Formed
Castlewood Lake started as a small pond in the early 1800s. Native people used it to keep fish. After some decades, the native people moved away. Over time, rain filled the pond more and more. This natural process turned the pond into the larger lake we see today. The lake as we know it was formed around 1860.
The Story of Coopers Lake
Coopers Lake began as a pond for cows in the 1930s. Rain and melting snow made it deeper over time. Today, people have planted trees around the lake. It has grown into the lake it is now, with its current form established around 1959.
Creating Biggar Trout Pond
The area where Biggar Trout Pond is now was farmland in the 1960s. Later, the land was bought to build a 9-hole golf course. There was some land left over, and it already had a wet, marshy area called a slough. The town then dug a 5-foot (about 1.5 m) deep hole, 200 m by 200 m wide. They filled it with water to create the pond. This happened around 1969. Now, it has an island and a fishing bridge for everyone to enjoy.
Wildlife and Fishing
Animals and Plants
Castlewood Lake is home to many different kinds of animals. You might see gulls, salamanders, muskrats, and even deer. There are also smaller creatures like rats, mice, frogs, rabbits, mosquitoes, beetles, and snails. You can also spot coyotes, ducks, geese, and many other types of birds and insects. The other lakes, Coopers Lake and Springwater Lake, have similar wildlife. Around Castlewood Lake, you can find small cacti, bushes like choke cherries and 'silverwood' bushes. Sometimes, you might even see wheat from a nearby farm.
Fishing Opportunities
If you like fishing, the Biggar Trout Pond is the place to go! It is stocked with trout during the spring and summer months. However, Castlewood Lake and Coopers Lake do not have fish.
