Lenore Lake

For other places with the same name, see Lake Lenore.

Lenore Lake^[1] is a partly saline lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is part of the Lenore Lake basin, which includes several saline lakes (Basin, Middle, Frog, Ranch, Murphy, Flat, Mantrap, Houghton, Deadmoose, and Waldsea) as well as the fresh water St. Brieux and Burton Lakes. The basin is part of the Carrot River watershed but has no natural outlet.^[2][3][4] The lake is within the aspen parkland ecozone of Saskatchewan.^[5][6] Lenore Lake was designated a migratory bird sanctuary in 1925.^[7] Raven Island (52°26′30″N 105°00′02″W / 52.4417°N 105.0005°W / 52.4417; -105.0005), located at the southern end of Lenore Lake, is a National Wildlife Area of Canada.^[8][9]

Lenore Lake
Lenore Lake as seen from space.
Lenore Lake Location in Saskatchewan Show map of Saskatchewan Lenore Lake Lenore Lake (Canada) Show map of Canada
Location	RM of Lenore Lake No. 399 and RM of Three Lakes No. 400 in Saskatchewan
Coordinates	52°30′N 104°59′W / 52.500°N 104.983°W / 52.500; -104.983
Type	Salt lake
Primary inflows	Lenore Brook
Primary outflows	None
Basin countries	Canada
Surface area	7,474.2 ha (18,469 acres)
Average depth	5.2 m (17 ft)
Max. depth	10.4 m (34 ft)
Shore length^1	81.5 km (50.6 mi)
Surface elevation	526 m (1,726 ft)
Islands	Raven Island
Settlements	None
^1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lenore Lake is relatively shallow and is prone to severe water level fluctuations as it is dependant upon seasonal rains and spring runoff. As water levels recede during the summer, extensive mudflats develop along the shore. These mudflats provide habitat for birds and the lake itself is an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada part of Lenore Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary (MBS).^[10] Directly to the north-west is another MBS at Basin and Middle Lakes. At the north-east corner of Lenore Lake is Lenore Lake Wildlife Refuge (52°32′00″N 104°57′02″W / 52.5334°N 104.9505°W / 52.5334; -104.9505).^[11]

Lake Lenore IBA

Lake Lenore (SK 074) is an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada that covers an area of 236.4 km² (91.3 sq mi) and includes all of Lenore Lake and its shoreline. The lake is an important staging area for about 80,000 ducks and 40,000 geese during the fall migration. During the summer, about 4,000 ducks use the lake as a moulting area. This habitat is also important to other birds such as the piping plover, ruddy turnstone, double-crested cormorant, and the American white pelican.^[12]

Environmental concerns

In recent years, water levels in the basin have risen to historic levels. Nearby Houghton Lake, a highly saline body of water, has drained water into Lenore Lake. To prevent the highly saline water from damaging the fish habitat in Lenore Lake, Environment Canada ordered the permanent closure of a culvert between the two lakes on May 10, 2010.^[13]

In 2009, Saskatchewan's Ministry of the Environment issued fish consumption guidelines for walleye and northern pike taken from Lenore Lake, due to the level of mercury detected in the fish.^[14]

Fish species

Fish commonly found in the lake include walleye, whitefish, perch, and northern pike.^[15][16]

See also

• List of lakes of Saskatchewan
• List of Migratory Bird Sanctuaries of Canada
• List of protected areas of Saskatchewan

References

1. "Lenore Lake". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
2. "Carrot River Valley Watershed Association". CRWatershed. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
3. Adams, Elodie (September 20, 2011). "Noah's Ark syndrome for Middle Lake". SaskToday. Glacier Media Group. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
4. "Carrot River Watershed Source Water Protection Plan" (PDF). WSask. Saskatchewan Watershed Authority. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
5. "Lenore Lake Fishing Map". GPS Nautical Charts. Bist LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
6. Bernhardt, Darren (May 14, 2008). "Rising salt water threatens farms". The StarPhoenix. CanWest. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
7. . Environment Canada. March 26, 2010. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
8. "Raven Island National Wildlife Area". Canada.ca. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Retrieved March 31, 2023.
9. "Raven Island, Saskatchewan, Canada". Mindat.org. Mindat.org. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
10. "Lenore Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary". ECCC. Government of Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
11. "Lenore Lake Wildlife Refuge". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
12. "Lake Lenore". IBA Canada. Birds Canada. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
13. Peckover, Pat (May 20, 2010). "Federal gov't orders culvert closed between Houghton, Lenore Lakes". ITV Humboldt. Retrieved August 31, 2010.^{[permanent dead link]}
14. . Saskatchewan Ministry of the Environment. February 12, 2009. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
15. "Lenore Lake". Angler's Atlas. Angler's Atlas. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
16. . SaskFishingLakes.ca. 2006. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2010.