List of lakes of Alberta facts for kids
This is a list of lakes in Alberta, Canada.
Most of Alberta's lakes were formed during the last glaciation, about 12,000 years ago. There are many different types of lakes in Alberta, from glacial lakes in the Canadian Rockies to small shallow lakes in the prairies, brown water lakes in the northern boreal forest and muskeg, kettle holes and large lakes with sandy beaches and clear water in the central plains.
Distribution of the lakes throughout the province of Alberta is irregular, with many water bodies in the wet regions in the northeast and Lakeland County, and very few in the dry southeast.
River basins
Most of Alberta's waters are drained in a general north eastern direction, with four major rivers collecting the water. Peace and Athabasca River are heading north and draining in the Arctic Ocean while North and South Saskatchewan River are heading east and draining in Lake Winnipeg and Hudson Bay. The smaller Beaver River in east-central Alberta flows into the Churchill system and then Hudson Bay, while the southern Milk River heads south-east into the Missouri River and to the Gulf of Mexico.
Largest lakes
The area of Lake Athabasca that falls inside Alberta's boundaries is 2,295 km2 (886 sq mi) and is the largest water surface in the province. The largest lake completely in Alberta is Lake Claire, which is often overseen as such, due to its remoteness and the lack of human development in the Peace-Athabasca Delta.
This is a list of lakes of Alberta with an area larger than 100 km2 (39 sq mi).
| Lake | Area (including islands) | Altitude | Depth max. | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Athabasca | 7,850 km2 (3,030 sq mi) | 213 m (699 ft) | 124 m (407 ft) | 204 km3 (49 cu mi) |
| Lake Claire | 1,436 km2 (554 sq mi) | 213 m (699 ft) | ||
| Lesser Slave Lake | 1,160 km2 (450 sq mi) | 578 m (1,896 ft) | 20.5 m (67 ft) | 13.69 km3 (3.28 cu mi) |
| Bistcho Lake | 426 km2 (164 sq mi) | 552 m (1,811 ft) | ||
| Cold Lake | 373 km2 (144 sq mi) | 535 m (1,755 ft) | 99.1 m (325 ft) | |
| Utikuma Lake | 288 km2 (111 sq mi) | 641 m (2,103 ft) | 5.5 m (18 ft) | |
| Lac la Biche | 234 km2 (90 sq mi) | 21.3 m (70 ft) | ||
| Beaverhill Lake | 139 km2 (54 sq mi) | 2.3 m (7.5 ft) | ||
| Calling Lake | 138 km2 (53 sq mi) | 529 m (1,736 ft) | 18.3 m (60 ft) | |
| Pakowki Lake | 123 km2 (47 sq mi) | 860 m (2,820 ft) | ||
| Winefred Lake | 123 km2 (47 sq mi) | 594 m (1,949 ft) |
List of lakes
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Images for kids
-
Peyto Lake from Lookout
-
Amethyst Lakes & Ramparts
-
Fish Lakes (1 of 2)
