Lesser Slave Lake (french: Petit lac des Esclaves)—known traditionally as "Beaver Lake" (ᐊᒥᐢᐠ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amisk sâkâhikan in the
Plains Cree language
Plains Cree ( endonym: ) is a dialect of the Algonquian language, Cree, which is the most populous Canadian indigenous language. Plains Cree is considered a dialect of the Cree-Montagnais language or a dialect of the Cree language that is ...
, and T’saat’ine migeh in
Dene Zhatıé)
or "Beaver people were over there, living there" (ᐊᔭᐦᒋᔨᓂᐤ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ ayahciyiniw sâkahikan and T’saatine nda ghe’in’deh)
—is located in central
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
, Canada, northwest of
Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
. It is the second largest lake entirely within Alberta boundaries (and the largest easily accessible by vehicle), covering and measuring over long and at its widest point. Lesser Slave Lake averages in depth and is at its deepest. It drains eastwards into the
Athabasca River
The Athabasca River (French: ''Rivière Athabasca'') is a river in Alberta, Canada, which originates at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park and flows more than before emptying into Lake Athabasca. Much of the land along its banks is ...
by way of the
Lesser Slave River.
The town of
Slave Lake
Slave Lake is a town in northern Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124. It is approximately northwest of Edmonton. It is located on the southeast shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the junction o ...
is located at the eastern tip of the lake, around the outflow of Lesser Slave River.
Conservation and development
Due to its location on a major
fly-way for migrating birds, Lesser Slave Lake is popular with
birder
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...
s. The nearby
Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park has lakeside camping facilities located along sand beaches, with some rocky beaches as well. Fishing is popular and legal. The entire north shore of the lake is protected, other reserves being
Hilliard's Bay Provincial Park, ''Lesser Slave Lake Wildland'' and ''Grouard Trail Park Reserve''.
Highway 2 and the
Canadian National Railway follow the southern shore of the lake, and the
Bicentennial Highway has its southernmost point at eastern end of the lake.
A number of
Indian reserves
In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the '' Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty,
that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band."
Ind ...
are established at the shores of the lake:
*Kapawe'no First Nations Lands 150, 230 and 231 of the
Kapawe'no First Nation
The Kapawe'no First Nation ( cr, ᑲᐹᐏᐣ, kapâwin) is a band government in Alberta, Canada. It is headquartered at Grouard, Alberta, which is near High Prairie.
Indian Reserves
Six Indian reserves are governed by the band:
* Kapawe'no Fi ...
,
*Sucker Creek 150a of the
Sucker Creek Cree First Nation
*Drift Pile River 150 of the
Driftpile First Nation
The Driftpile First Nation (or the Driftpile Cree Nation) ( cr, ᒪᐦᑕᐦᑕᑲᐤ ᓯᐱᕀᐩ, mihtatakaw sîpîy) is a Treaty 8 First Nation with a reserve, Drift Pile River 150, located on the southern shore of the Lesser Slave Lake on Al ...
*Swan River 150e'' of the
Swan River First Nation
The Swan River First Nation ( cr, ᐚᐱᓯᐤ ᓰᐱᐩ, wâpisiw-sîpiy) is a First Nations band government in northern Alberta. Located near Kinuso, it controls two Indian reserves, Swan River 150E
Swan River 150E is a Cree First Nation ...
*Sawridge 150g and h''
Sawridge Band
Accidents
;February 14, 1968
On February 14, 1968, a
Cessna 182H CF-WUK plane crashed into the lake due to
ice forming on the wings and causing the pilot to lose control. The pilot was a Graham James Cox, a former
501 Squadron Commander during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. Both he and his two passengers died in the accident. The passengers were William Henry Lucus and Kenneth McIntosh McMillan.
;May 20, 2011
On May 20, 2011, a Bell 212 helicopter crashed into the lake while fighting the
2011 Slave Lake fire. The pilot, 54-year-old Jean-Luc Deba of Montreal, died. On the one-year anniversary, a park at Canyon Creek was named in Deba's honor.
CTV.ca
/ref>
References
External links
Lesser Slave Lake Regional Tourism
{{Authority control
Big Lakes County
Hudson's Bay Company trading posts
Lakes of Alberta
Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124