Sambaa K’e (''SALM-bah-kay'';
, ''place of trout''
) is a
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
in the
Dehcho Region of the
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...
of
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. The only settlement on its shores shares
the same name; both were officially known as Trout Lake until 2016, when their names were changed to reflect local usage.
[
Sambaa K’e lies at an elevation of ][ and is long and wide,][ covering an area of .][ It drains an area of ; major rivers that enter the lake include Paradise River East from the east, Island River from the south (next to the settlement), and Moose River from the north. Trout River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River, exits the lake from the northeast.][
Drinking water for the community of Sambaa K’e comes from the local water treatment facility, which draws water from the lake.][ Known sources of lake water contamination include the local sewage lagoon, hazardous waste from a World War II-era U.S. Air Force outpost on the lake, and diesel leakage from the local power station.]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 ...
and Arctic grayling draws tourists to the lake. The local people also rely on the lake environment to support the hunting, trapping and fishing activities that comprise a major part of their livelihood. Common traditional food sources include moose, woodland caribou
Woodland caribou may refer to two North American reindeer (''Rangifer tarandus'') populations:
* Boreal woodland caribou
The boreal woodland caribou (''Rangifer tarandus caribou''; but subject to a recent taxonomic revision. See Reindeer: taxon ...
, grouse, porcupine, beaver, trout, pickerel, duck, and various berries.[ A proposal to create a protected area including the Sambaa K’e watershed is currently under study.]
References
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Lakes of the Northwest Territories
Dehcho Region