Candle Lake is a

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

in the central part of the Canadian province of

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

in the

boreal forest Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruc ...

, approximately north-east of Prince Albert. A dam completed in 1979 at the southern end of the lake regulates water levels; several small creeks feed into the lake and

Torch River Torch River is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The river's source is the dam at Candle Lake, near Candle Lake Provincial Park, and it travels east through boreal forest and muskeg en route to its mouth in the Saskatche ...

flows out of the lake at the dam. Candle Lake Provincial Park surrounds most of the lake and the

resort village A resort village is a type of incorporated urban municipality in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. A resort village is created from an organized hamlet by the Minister of Municipal Affairs by ministerial order via section 51 of ''The Munic ...

of Candle Lake is at the southern end. The lake takes its name from a Cree legend about flickering lights appearing near the north end of the lake, which have supposedly been seen right up to contemporary times. Scientists speculate that the lights are likely caused from " swamp gas or a phosphorescent glow created by decaying drift wood", rather than having a paranormal origin. Highways 265 and

120 120 may refer to: *120 (number), the number * AD 120, a year in the 2nd century AD *120 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC *120 film, a film format for still photography * ''120'' (film), a 2008 film * 120 (MBTA bus) * 120 (New Jersey bus) * 120 (Ken ...

provide access to the lake and its amenities.

Candle Lake Airpark Candle Lake Airpark is located west-northwest of Candle Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada. See also *List of airports in Saskatchewan This is a list of airports in Saskatchewan. It includes all Nav Canada certified and registered water and lan ...

is located on the western shore of the lake west-northwest of the village of Candle Lake.

Parks and recreation

Candle Lake is a popular tourist destination in

Western Canada Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada� ...

as most of the lake is surrounded by Candle Lake Provincial Park. Along the lake's shores there are several natural sand beaches including Minowukaw Beach, Waskateena Beach, Candle Lake Beach, and the Purple Sands Beach. The Purple Sands Beach has vibrantly striped bands of sand in purple, magenta, and pink hues. The purple sand comes from

garnet Garnets () are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different s ...

that was brought to the region from the Canadian Shield by glaciation during the

ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gre ...

about 12,000 years ago. Adjacent to Minowukaw Beach are the Minowukaw Sand Dunes. Amenities and activities in and around the lake include sport fishing and other water sports, camping, golfing, hiking, fishing, and boating. Several marinas are dotted around the lake's shore providing boating access to the lake.

Candle Lake dam

The level in Candle Lake is regulated by a four-bay concrete

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

, constructed in 1978–1979 and operated by the

Saskatchewan Watershed Authority The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (before 2013, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority) is an arm's length organization responsible for the management of water resources to ensure safe drinking water sources and reliable water supplies for eco ...

. It is located at the south-eastern corner of the lake at Hanson Bay and it discharges into the

. The construction of the dam prevented the normal spawning movement of fish each spring between the Torch River and Candle Lake. In 2002, the Minowukaw Fishway was constructed to better allow fish to travel between the lake and the river.

Fish species

Fish commonly found in the lake include

walleye The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the yellow pike or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern United States. It is a North American close relat ...

northern pike The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus ''Esox'' (the pikes). They are typical of brackish and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). They are known simply as a p ...

lake whitefish The lake whitefish (''Coregonus clupeaformis'') is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. The lake white ...

white sucker The white sucker (''Catostomus commersonii)'' is a species of freshwater cypriniform fish inhabiting the upper Midwest and Northeast in North America, but it is also found as far south as Georgia and as far west as New Mexico. The fish is common ...

shorthead redhorse The shorthead redhorse (''Moxostoma macrolepidotum'') is a wide-ranging species in North America. The shorthead redhorse is native to central and eastern North America. However, its range has expanded to include areas like the Hudson estuary and ...

longnose sucker The longnose sucker (''Catostomus catostomus'') is a species of cypriniform freshwater fish in the family Catostomidae. It is native to North America from the northern United States to the top of the continent. It is also found in Russia in ri ...

, and

burbot The burbot (''Lota lota'') is the only gadiform (cod-like) freshwater fish. It is also known as bubbot, mariah, loche, cusk, freshwater cod, freshwater ling, freshwater cusk, the lawyer, coney-fish, lingcod, and eelpout. The species is closel ...

References

{{Authority control Canadian folklore Lakes of Saskatchewan Paddockwood No. 520, Saskatchewan Dams in Saskatchewan Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Division No. 15, Saskatchewan