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 a big lake in northern Alberta, Canada. It's about 322 kilometers (200 miles) north of Edmonton. This lake is the fifteenth largest in Alberta!
The small town of Wabasca sits on its southeast side. Two First Nations Reserves, Wabasca 166C and Wabasca 166B, are also found along the lake's edges.
Contents
Discover North Wabasca Lake's Size and Location
North Wabasca Lake covers an area of about 101 square kilometers (39 square miles). It stretches over 10 kilometers (6 miles) long. At its widest point, the lake is about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) across.
The average depth of the lake is 5.8 meters (19 feet). But in some spots, it can be as deep as 17 meters (56 feet)!
Water Flow and Connections
Water flows into North Wabasca Lake mainly from two places. One is the outlet from South Wabasca Lake. The other is the Willow River, both coming from the south.
The lake then drains its water northwards. This water travels through the Wabasca River to the Peace River. The Peace River is part of the huge Mackenzie River System.
Exploring North Wabasca Lake's Ecosystem
The area around North Wabasca Lake is part of the Wabasca Lowland Ecoregion. This means it has a special type of environment.
Plants and Trees Around the Lake
Most of the land around the lake is covered in forests. You'll find trees like Trembling aspen, Balsam poplar, and White spruce.
There are also areas with shrubs and grasslands. You might see wet, spongy areas called muskeg with Black spruce trees. Very little of the land is used for farming or cities.
Animals and Fish in the Lake
North Wabasca Lake is a great spot for fishing! Some popular fish you can catch include Northern Pike, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Lake Whitefish, and Burbot.
Other types of fish living here are Northern Cisco, White Sucker, and Longnose Sucker.
Tiny Creatures: Zooplankton and the Food Web
The lake is home to over 25 different kinds of zooplankton. These are tiny animals, some so small you need a microscope to see them! They are very important for showing how healthy the lake is.
Some examples of these tiny creatures are Rotifers, Cladocera, and different types of Copepods like Calanoida and Cyclopoida. You can also find Nauplii, which are baby crustaceans. These small animals are a key part of the lake's food web. They are food for many other creatures in the lake.
