Moose Lake (Alberta) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moose Lake |
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Sunset in Franchere Bay
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 Moose Lake
Location in Alberta
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| Location | Bonnyville No. 87, Alberta |
| Coordinates | 54°15′04″N 110°54′25″W / 54.25111°N 110.90694°W |
| Type | eutrophic |
| Native name | |
| Primary inflows | Thinlake River |
| Primary outflows | Mooselake River |
| Catchment area | 755 km2 (292 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 14 km (8.7 mi) |
| Max. width | 4.4 km (2.7 mi) |
| Surface area | 40.8 km2 (15.8 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 5.6 m (18 ft) |
| Max. depth | 19.8 m (65 ft) |
| Residence time | 7.5 years |
| Surface elevation | 530 m (1,740 ft) |
| Settlements | Bonnyville |
Moose Lake is a beautiful lake located in northeastern Alberta, Canada. It's a fairly small lake that flows north into the Beaver River (Canada). You can find it just a few kilometers west of the town of Bonnyville. There is another lake also called Moose Lake about 65 kilometers northwest of Fort Mackay.
Contents
Discovering the Name of Moose Lake
The name "Moose Lake" has a cool history! Early French-Canadian fur traders knew it as Lac d'Orignal. This French name also means "Moose Lake".
It's thought that the French name might have come from the local Cree people. They called the lake Mōswa sākahikan, which also means "Moose Lake". So, the name has been around for a long time!
A Glimpse into Moose Lake's Past
Moose Lake has been an important place for a long time. Around 1768, a person named William Pink explored the area near the Mooselake River.
Fur Trading at Moose Lake
In 1789, a man named Angus Shaw built a trading post on the lake's northwest shore. This post was called Fort Lac L'Orignal or Shaw House. It was a place where people could trade goods, especially animal furs.
The trading post was near where the Mooselake River flows into Franchere Bay. The river was very shallow, so canoes had to be emptied and goods carried by hand over land. This area was great for finding beavers.
Connecting Trade Routes
Moose Lake was also easy to reach from Fort George, which was about 35 miles south on the North Saskatchewan River. Buffalo pemmican, a type of dried meat, was brought north to the lake. From there, it was sent along the Beaver River to Lac Île-à-la-Crosse. This food helped feed the voyageurs, who were travelers on long canoe journeys to Lake Athabasca.
During the 1792-93 trading season, Moose Lake was very productive. It provided 64 out of 392 total packs of beaver furs for the Churchill River Department. In 1798, the famous explorer David Thompson also visited the lake from Fort George.
Exploring Moose Lake's Geography
Moose Lake has some interesting natural features. The main river that flows into the lake is called the Thinlake River. It enters the lake at its westernmost point, in an area known as Franchere Bay.
The main river that flows out of the lake is the Mooselake River. It leaves the lake from the northern shore of Franchere Bay.
Parks and Communities
Moose Lake Provincial Park is located right where Franchere Bay and Vezeau Bay meet. The western edge of the park is along the Mooselake River.
Most of the homes and buildings around the lake are on the eastern shores of Vezeau Bay and Bonnyville Beach. These areas include several small communities, like Pelican Narrows.
Summer Camps Around the Lake
Moose Lake is also a popular spot for summer camps! There are several Christian summer camps located on Franchere Bay. You can find a Baptist, a Pentecostal, and a Roman Catholic camp on the north shore. There's also a Ukrainian Orthodox camp on the south shore.
Fishing in Moose Lake
Moose Lake is a great place for fishing! Some people fish here for a living, and it's also very popular for fun.
Popular Fish Species
If you like to fish, you might catch some of these sport fish in Moose Lake:
There's even a yearly Walleye tournament held on the lake. This shows how many Walleye there are and how popular fishing is here!
