Reed Lake

Reed Lake
Reed Lake
Reed Lake is located in Saskatchewan
Reed Lake
Reed Lake
Location in Saskatchewan
Reed Lake is located in Canada
Reed Lake
Reed Lake
Reed Lake (Canada)
LocationRM of Morse No. 165,  Saskatchewan
Coordinates50°24′00″N 107°05′02″W / 50.4001°N 107.0839°W / 50.4001; -107.0839
TypeEndorheic lake
Primary inflowsLizard Creek, Morse Creek
Primary outflowsNone
Basin countries Canada
Max. length14 km (8.7 mi)
Max. width3.5 km (2.2 mi)
Surface elevation687 m (2,254 ft)

Reed Lake[1] is an intermittent, shallow endorheic salt lake in the south-western region of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Most of the lake and its shoreline is designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada and it is part of a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). Access to the lake is from a lookout tower and a walking path[2] alongside the Trans-Canada Highway, about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) west of the town of Morse.[3][4]

Description

Being an endorheic lake, Reed Lake has no outflow. Inflow depends mainly on spring runoff and, as such, the lake is prone to significant fluctuations in water levels. The primary inflow is Lizard Creek[5] which is located at the western end of Reed Lake. Rushlake Creek,[6] which begins at Wood Mountain Hills, is a major tributary of Lizard Creek.

Morse, located at the north-eastern corner of Reed Lake, is the only community along its shores. At the north-western end of the lake, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) east of Herbert, is a Richardson International grain terminal.[7] The Trans-Canada Highway runs along the entire length of the northern shore.

IBA & WHSRN

Chaplin - Old Wives - Reed Lakes WHSRN

Reed Lake (SK 034) is an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada[8] and it, along with neighbouring Chaplin and Old Wives Lakes, is part of a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN).[9] The WHSRN is one of only three such sites in Canada and the only one that is located inland. The other two sites are the Fraser River estuary[10] and Bay of Fundy.[11] The Chaplin / Old Wives / Reed Lakes WHSRN totals about 42,680 ha (105,500 acres). The Reed Lake IBA is 58.92 ha (145.6 acres).

Birds commonly found at the lake include the piping plover, double-crested cormorant, American white pelican, northern shoveler, canvasback, Franklin's gull, snow goose, tundra swan, stilt sandpiper, and the redhead.[12]

  • A trail leading to Reed Lake
    A trail leading to Reed Lake
  • Reed Lake view from the lookout tower
    Reed Lake view from the lookout tower
  • Reed Lake information sign
    Reed Lake information sign

See also

References

  1. ^ "Reed Lake". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Reed Lake Viewing Tower". BRMB. Mussio Ventures Ltd. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Town of Morse, Saskatchewan". Morsesask. Town of Morse. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Reed Lake - Morse SK". Waymarking. Groundspeak, Inc. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Lizard Creek". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Rushlake Creek". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Reed Lake". Richardson. Richardson International Limited. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas". Nature Saskatchewan. Nature Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Chaplin Old Wives Reed Lakes". WHSRN. WHSRN. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Fraser River Estuary". WHSRN. WHSRN. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Bay of Fundy". WHSRN. WHSRN. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Reed Lake". IBA Canada. Birds Canada. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  • Media related to Reed Lake at Wikimedia Commons