White Lake (Ontario) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White Lake |
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 White Lake
Location in Ontario
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| Location | Ontario |
| Coordinates | 45°18′36″N 76°31′12″W / 45.31000°N 76.52000°W |
| Primary outflows | Indian Creek, Waba Creek |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 16 km (9.9 mi) |
| Surface area | 22.7 km2 (8.8 sq mi) |
| Shore length1 | 98 km (61 mi) |
| Settlements | White Lake, Ontario |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
White Lake is a medium-sized lake in Ontario, Canada. It's about 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of Ottawa. You can find it near Calabogie to the west and Arnprior to the north. You can get there by taking Highway 417 from Ottawa or Renfrew County Road 511 from Perth. The town of White Lake is right on the lake's northern shore.
The northern and western edges of White Lake show where the ancient Champlain Sea once reached. This sea covered the Ottawa Valley after the last ice age ended.
The lake is 16 kilometers (10 miles) long. It covers an area of 2,270 hectares (about 8.8 square miles). Its shoreline is 98 kilometers (61 miles) long. The Canadian government identifies White Lake with a special code: FDDES.
History of White Lake
Before European settlers arrived, local Indigenous people called the lake "Wa-ba-lac." In an old map from 1860, it was shown as "Wabak or White Lake." People believe the name "White Lake" comes from the white marl found at the bottom of the lake. Marl is a type of soil that looks like clay.
White Lake as we know it today was formed in 1845. This happened when a dam was built on Waba Creek. The dam caused the water levels to rise in three smaller, connected water bodies. The first White Lake Dam was built to store water for a sawmill in Waba, about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) downstream. The dam was rebuilt in 1948 and again in 1969. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources bought it in 1969.
In the 1970s, the water levels in summer were kept steady. This helped people who used boats and owned property along the shore. Recently, there has been some worry about algal blooms. These blooms happen more often as more homes are built along the shoreline and more people visit the lake.
Animals and Plants of White Lake
Before 1930, White Lake was a good place to catch northern pike. Then, many walleye were added to the lake between 1930 and the mid-1960s. This helped a walleye fishing industry grow. Since then, largemouth bass and northern pike have been the most popular fish for anglers. Walleye are now caught only sometimes. You can also commonly find sunfish in White Lake.
The lake area is also important because of the White Lake Fen. A fen is a rare type of wetland in Lanark County. It is considered a very important wetland for the province and a special natural area.
