Waldsea Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Waldsea Lake |
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 Waldsea Lake
Location in Saskatchewan
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| Location | Saskatchewan |
| Coordinates | 52°17′00″N 105°12′02″W / 52.28333°N 105.20056°W |
| Type | saline |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Surface area | 5 km2 (1.9 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 8.1 m (27 ft) |
Waldsea Lake is a special lake located in central Saskatchewan, Canada. It's about 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of the city of Saskatoon, close to a small community called Carmel, Saskatchewan.
What makes Waldsea Lake unique is that it's a saline lake. This means its water is quite salty, much like the ocean, but with different types of salt.
About Waldsea Lake
Waldsea Lake is not a very large lake. It covers an area of about 5 square kilometers (about 2 square miles). The deepest part of the lake is around 8.1 meters (26.6 feet) deep.
Why is Waldsea Lake Salty?
Unlike many lakes that have fresh water, Waldsea Lake has a lot of dissolved salts. These salts are made up of different chemical parts called ions. The main ones found in Waldsea Lake are:
These ions come from the rocks and soil around the lake. When rain or snow melts, it picks up these minerals and carries them into the lake. Because Waldsea Lake doesn't have a natural way for water to flow out, the water evaporates, but the salts are left behind. Over a very long time, this process makes the lake water saltier and saltier.
The Lenore Lake Basin
Waldsea Lake is part of a larger area called the Lenore Lake Basin. A "basin" is like a big bowl in the land where water collects. This basin is special because it has no natural outlet. This means water flows into the basin, but it doesn't flow out to rivers or oceans.
The Lenore Lake Basin includes several other lakes. Most of them are also saline, just like Waldsea Lake. Some of these salty lakes are:
- Lenore
- Basin Lake
- Middle Lake
- Frog Lake
- Ranch Lake
- Murphy Lake
- Flat Lake
- Mantrap Lake
- Houghton Lake
- Deadmoose Lake
However, there are also two freshwater lakes in this basin: St. Brieux Lake and Burton Lake. The mix of salty and fresh lakes in the same basin makes this area very interesting for scientists who study water and the environment.
