Pike Lake is an

oxbow lake An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake or pool that forms when a wide meander of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. In South Texas, oxbows left by the Rio Grande are called '' resacas''. In Australia, oxbow lakes are call ...

of the

South Saskatchewan River The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. For the first half of the 20th century, the South Saskatchewan would completely freeze over during winter, creating spectacular ...

in the

Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, 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 t ...

. It is about south of downtown

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

in the RM of Vanscoy No. 345, west of the South Saskatchewan River. The lake is in the

aspen parkland Aspen parkland refers to a very large area of transitional biome between prairie and boreal forest in two sections, namely the Peace River Country of northwestern Alberta crossing the border into British Columbia, and a much larger area stretchi ...

transitional biome between

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

and

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, spruces, ...

Palliser's Triangle Palliser's Triangle, or the Palliser Triangle, is a semi-arid steppe occupying a substantial portion of the Western Canadian Prairie Provinces, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, within the Great Plains region. While initially determined to be uns ...

. Most of the southern half of Pine Lake is in

Pike Lake Provincial Park Pike Lake Provincial Park is a recreational park located approximately 32 km south-west of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Established in 1960, it is operated under the Government of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Parks, Culture, and Sport. It is l ...

and access to the lake is from Highways 60 and

766 __NOTOC__ Year 766 ( DCCLXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 766 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar ...

. An unincorporated rural residential community by the same name, Pike Lake, is located on the western shore at the northern boundary of Pike Lake Provincial Park. The community includes a school and a recreation centre. Trees around the lake include aspen, ash, and birch.

Pike Lake Water Supply

Lake water levels are controlled by a 1.5-metre high, 280-metre long spur dike that diverts water from the South Saskatchewan River. The Pike Lake Water Supply, as it is known, is operated by the

Saskatchewan Water Security Agency 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 ...

. Originally constructed in 1948, significant upgrades were done in the 1960s with a new pump and supply canal. By the 1990s, the South Saskatchewan River had naturally shifted course and the water levels at Pike Lake had dropped. In 1999, major upgrades were completed to the system to restore water levels. Further upgrades to the pump and canal were undertaken in 2020 at a cost of $2.8 million.

Recreation

Pike Lake Provincial Park is the main attraction on the lake. The park includes a large campground with 222 sites, an outdoor pool with a waterslide, mini-golf, a 1.5 kilometre nature trail, fishing, and beach access. At the northern end of the lake is Camp Seeonee, which is a

Scouts Canada Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association providing programs for young people, aged 5 to 26, with the stated aim "to help develop well rounded youth, better prepared for success in the world". Scouts Canada, in affiliation with the Frenc ...

camp. The camp is made up of two villages with cabins, campgrounds, picnic areas, and outdoor camp kitchens.

Fish species

The fish species most commonly found in Pike Lake is the

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 ...

References

{{Authority control Vanscoy No. 345, Saskatchewan Lakes of Saskatchewan Oxbow lakes of Canada

Pike Lake Water Supply

Recreation

Fish species

See also

References