| Shoal Lake | |
|---|---|
| Ojibwe:Iskatewi-zaagaʼigan | |
  Shoal Lake  Shoal Lake | |
| Location | Northwestern Ontario (Kenora District), SoutheastManitoba (Eastman Region) |
| Coordinates | 49°32′50″N94°56′25″W / 49.54722°N 94.94028°W /49.54722; -94.94028[1] |
| Type | Lake |
| Part of | Lake of the Woods |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Surface area | 320 km2 (80,000 acres) |
| Settlements | Shoal Lake #39 First Nation, Shoal Lake 40 First Nation |
Shoal Lake (Ojibwe:Iskatewi-zaagaʼigan) is a lake that straddles the boundary betweenOntario andManitoba, Canada, northwest of theLake of the Woods. Depending on the water level of Lake of the Woods, Shoal Lake runs both atributary anddistributary of Lake of the Woods and, for many practical purposes, is part of that lake.
There are twoFirst Nations peoples, bothOjibwe, who lay claim to much of Shoal Lake:Iskatewizaagegan 39 Independent First Nation (Shoal Lake First Nation #39) andShoal Lake 40 First Nation.[2][3]
Shoal Lake is in theEastman Region of Manitoba and theKenora District of Ontario, northwest ofLake of the Woods. It spans approximately 29 km (18 mi) from north to south and 40 km (25 mi) from east to west.[4]
Smallmouth bass,northern pike, andwalleye are its primary species of fish.[4] At one time, it was acommercial fishery for walleye, but this was closed due tooverfishing.[citation needed]
There are a number of private cabins in this area, and several commercial fishing lodges and resorts which offer housekeeping cabins and American-plan packages for tourists.[4]
The lake has a history ofgold mining[5] and as gold prices rise so does the pressure to explore mining of the lake again. This pressure is being fought by local cottagers and the City ofWinnipeg, which has used the lake as its main source of safe drinking water for almost 100 years. Shoal Lake falls under special and specific developmental guidelines in order to protect its water quality and unique wildlife.[citation needed]
In the Manitoba portion, Shoal Lake is a large isolated lake in the southeastern corner of the province.[2]
Shoal Lake 40 First Nation,Ojibwe peoples, who are in theEastman Region of Manitoba and theKenora District of Ontario, is one of theFirst Nations that lays claim to the lake.[2][3]
Shoal Lake is also home toManitoba Pioneer Camp.
The City ofWinnipeg has relied on the lake as its source for safedrinking water since 1919, supplied via theGreater Winnipeg Water District Aqueduct.[2]
Before it is treated, water from Shoal Lake is stored inDeacon Reservoir, on the east side of theWinnipeg floodway, a few kilometres south ofHighway 15.[6]
Access by maintenance staff to the Aqueduct has been provided by theGreater Winnipeg Water District Railway, operated by the City, since 1916. The Railway formerly providedpassenger andfreight rail services to the public, from Winnipeg to the rail station at the Shoal Lake aqueduct intake.[2]
TheGreater Winnipeg Water District (GWWD) was established in 1913 as a collaboration between theCity of Winnipeg and its neighbouring municipalities, who decided to investCA$13.5 million to access Shoal Lake.
Winnipeg MayorThomas R. Deacon spearheaded making Shoal Lake the city's water source, a project he had supported long before becoming mayor in 1913. In January 1913, a series of meetings was held between Winnipeg and the municipalities, who reached an agreement on draft legislation to form a water district.[7]
On February 15 that year,An Act to incorporate the ‘Greater Winnipeg Water District,’ was passed by theManitoba Legislature. The areas included in the district were the City of Winnipeg,City of St. Boniface,Town of Transcona, andRural Municipality of St. Vital, as well as a part of theRural Municipality of Fort Garry, theRural Municipality of Assiniboia, and theRural Municipality of Kildonan.[7]
The GWWD was eventually succeeded by the City of Winnipeg Water and Waste Department.[7]