Sambaa K’e lies at an elevation of 503 metres (1,650 ft)[2] and is 103 kilometres (64 mi) long and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) wide,[1] covering an area of 513 square kilometres (198 sq mi).[2] It drains an area of 5,694 square kilometres (2,198 sq mi); 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.[1]
Drinking water for the community of Sambaa K’e comes from the local water treatment facility, which draws water from the lake.[1] 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.[5]
Fishing for lake trout, walleye, northern pike and Arctic grayling draws tourists to the lake.[6][7] 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, grouse, porcupine, beaver, trout, pickerel, duck, and various berries.[5] A proposal to create a 10,600-square-kilometre (4,100 sq mi) protected area including the Sambaa K’e watershed is currently under study.[3][8]
