Reindeer Lake
Reindeer Lake is a significant body of water located along the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border in northern Canada, recognized as the second-largest lake in Saskatchewan and the ninth-largest in Canada. Its unique formation includes both glacial activity and a meteor impact, particularly noticeable in a section known as Deep Bay, which is notably deeper than other parts of the lake. The lake spans approximately 2,568 square miles and features a rugged landscape shaped by glaciers, with exposed granite bedrock and a variety of islands. Home to diverse wildlife, Reindeer Lake supports large fish populations, making it a popular destination for sport fishing enthusiasts. The area has been inhabited by the Cree people for thousands of years, who have a rich cultural connection to the lake and its resources. Although historically explored by European fur traders, the region remained sparsely populated until recent times, leading to well-preserved natural ecosystems. Today, visitors often engage with Cree guides to explore the lake and learn about its cultural significance and the legends that surround it, including tales of a mythical creature residing in its depths.
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Reindeer Lake
Reindeer Lake is a large lake in northern Canada located along the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border. It is the second-largest lake in Saskatchewan. The lake was formed in part by a meteor, which differentiates it from the mostly glacier-formed lakes in Canada. Reindeer Lake is in a section of the country with a relatively low population, but Cree people have lived near the lake for thousands of years. Today, the lake is a popular destination for sport fishing, as the low population has allowed fish to grow large and remain abundant.
Background
Most of Reindeer Lake is located in northeastern Saskatchewan, with some of it crossing into Manitoba. It is located in the boreal shield ecozone, which is the largest habitat in Canada, and at the edge of the coniferous forest. The area was carved out by glaciers, and the landscape around the lake includes large amounts of exposed granite bedrock. Soil forms on bedrock but is usually very thin, with the average area having only about 10 feet (3 meters) of soil. Areas with soil are covered in shrubs, mosses, and trees. The area also has an even topography with jagged terrain because of the glaciers that once passed over it. Reindeer Lake is home to many animal species, including large mammals such as moose and black bears. Small mammals in the area include beavers, porcupines, rodents, lynxes, skunks, and otters. The area also has more than two hundred species of birds. Reindeer Lake itself is well known for the fish that live in it. Fish, such as pike and yellow perch, grow large because few people live in the region.
Overview
Reindeer Lake is approximately 2,568 square miles (6,650 square kilometers) in size and sits at an elevation of 1,106 feet (337 meters). It is 152 miles (245 kilometers) long at its longest point and 35 miles (56 kilometers) wide at its widest point. Reindeer Lake is the second-largest lake in Saskatchewan, following Lake Athabasca, and the ninth-largest lake in Canada.
Numerous lakes and bodies of water are near Reindeer Lake. The glaciers that moved over the area created deep gouges that eventually filled with water, forming lakes. Reindeer Lake is unique, however, because part of the lake was formed by a meteor. This part is called Deep Bay and has a diameter of approximately 6.8 miles (11 kilometers). The bay gets its name because it is much deeper than the rest of Reindeer Lake and most other regional lakes. Deep Bay is partially surrounded by a ridge that rises 328 feet (100 meters) above the lake in some places. Deep Bay is at the southwestern end of the lake and was formed by an astrobleme, an indentation created by the impact of a meteor, which created the lake about 140 million years ago.
Because glacial activity created rough terrain in the region, Reindeer Lake has a highly indented shoreline. The lake also has many islands of various sizes. It is fed by numerous streams and drains southward, first over a control dam into the Reindeer River and then into the Churchill River.
The geology around the lake consists of various rock structures from different eras, but many rock formations around the lake are made of igneous granite bedrock and some of the most ancient rocks on Earth. Gabbro is another common igneous rock in the region, but it is slightly younger than some of the granite formations. The Wathaman Batholith is a huge granite structure near the lake. It is one of the largest batholiths in the world, at roughly 680 miles (1,100 kilometers) long and 37 miles (60 kilometers) wide. The huge structure formed from cooling magma.
Reindeer Lake is an important landform in Saskatchewan, which has a limited human population except for the Cree, who have lived in the area for thousands of years. Archeologists believe that people first came to Reindeer Lake after traveling by canoe on the Reindeer River. The Cree lived off the land by the lake for centuries before Europeans arrived. While European colonizers explored the lake, they never settled in the region, even during the height of the fur trade. About a dozen fur-trading posts were built in the area, but each lasted only a short time. Even as recently as the early 1900s, Reindeer Lake and the surrounding area were rarely visited by outsiders.
Today, the Cree still live by the lake and depend on its resources. According to Cree legends, a mythical creature lives in the deep waters of Reindeer Lake. They believe this creature survives by avoiding human contact, though they think it is gentle.
Although the Cree have long been the main inhabitants of the region, the lake and its surrounding areas have become popular with tourists who visit the area for hunting and sport fishing. Reindeer Lake is known for its large fish, especially pike. Other fish in the lake include lake trout and yellow perch. Some visitors to the region hire Cree guides to show them the land and lake.
Bibliography
Evans, David. “Reindeer Lake.” Canadian Encyclopedia, 20 Mar. 2014, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/reindeer-lake. Accessed 1 Sept. 2020.
Fumerton, Stewart Lloyd. “Geology of the Reindeer Lake area, Saskatchewan, with Emphasis on Granitic Rocks.” University of Saskatchewan, 1979, harvest.usask.ca/handle/10388/etd-08072012-153138. Accessed 1 Sept. 2020.
“History of Reindeer Lake.” Lawrence Bay Lodge, 10 Jan. 2013, www.lawrencebay.com/history-of-reindeer-lake/#. Accessed 1 Sept. 2020.
Hunt, Chris. “Lunch Fish.” Hatch, 19 July 2016, www.hatchmag.com/articles/lunch-fish/7713566. Accessed 1 Sept. 2020.
Johnson, Will. “Chasing the Deep Bay Monster.” Nelson Star, 18 Aug. 2015, www.nelsonstar.com/entertainment/chasing-the-deep-bay-monster/. Accessed 1 Sept. 2020.
Koeberl, Christian and Virgil L. Sharpton. “Deep Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada.” Lunar and Planetary Institute, www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/craters/slide‗30.html. Accessed 1 Sept. 2020.
Lewry, Marilyn. “Reindeer Lake.” University of Regina and Canadian Plains Research Center, 2007, esask.uregina.ca/entry/reindeer‗lake.jsp. Accessed 1 Sept. 2020.
Michell, Herman. “Nēhîthâwâk of Reindeer Lake, Canada: Worldview, Epistemology and Relationships with the Natural World.” Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, vol. 34, 2005, pp. 33–43.
Walsh, Patrick. "In 2021, Saskatchewan's Reindeer Lake Was a Fishing Hot Spot - In More Ways than One." Outdoor Canada, 3 Aug. 2022, www.outdoorcanada.ca/in-2021-saskatchewans-reindeer-lake-was-a-fishing-hot-spot-in-more-ways-than-one/3/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.