| Lesser Slave Lake | |
|---|---|
 Southeast corner of the lake from Marten Mountain looking south, with Dog Island, Devonshire Beach, and the Town of Slave Lake visible in the distance | |
  Lesser Slave Lake | |
| Location | Big Lakes /Lesser Slave River No. 124,Alberta |
| Coordinates | 55°26′26″N115°29′19″W / 55.44056°N 115.48861°W /55.44056; -115.48861 |
| Type | Eutrophic[1] |
| Primary inflows | South Heart River,Swan RiverDriftpile River,Assineau River,Marten River |
| Primary outflows | Lesser Slave River |
| Catchment area | 13,900 km2 (5,400 sq mi)[2] |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | +100 km (62 mi) |
| Max. width | 15 km (9.3 mi) |
| Surface area | 1,168 km2 (451 sq mi)[3] |
| Average depth | 11.4 m (37 ft) |
| Max. depth | 20.5 m (67 ft) |
| Water volume | 13.69 km3 (11.10×10 |
| Shore length1 | 247 km (153 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 578 m (1,896 ft) |
| Settlements | Slave Lake,High Prairie, Alberta |
| References | [1][2][3] |
| 1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure. | |
Lesser Slave Lake is located in northernAlberta, Canada, northwest ofEdmonton. It is the second largest lake entirely within Alberta boundaries (and the largest easily accessible by vehicle), covering 1,160 km2 (450 sq mi) and measuring over 100 km (62 mi) long and 15 km (9.3 mi) at its widest point. Lesser Slave Lake averages 11.4 m (37 ft) in depth and is 20.5 m (67 ft) at its deepest. It drains eastwards into theAthabasca River by way of theLesser Slave River.
The town ofSlave Lake is located at the eastern tip of the lake, around the outflow of Lesser Slave River.
Due to its location on a majorfly-way for migrating birds, Lesser Slave Lake is popular withbirders.[4] The nearbyLesser Slave Lake Provincial Park has lakeside camping facilities located along sand beaches, with some rocky beaches as well. Fishing is popular and legal. The entire north shore of the lake is protected, other reserves beingHilliard's Bay Provincial Park,Lesser Slave Lake Wildland andGrouard Trail Park Reserve.
Highway 2 and theCanadian National Railway follow the southern shore of the lake, and theBicentennial Highway has its southernmost point at eastern end of the lake.
A number ofIndian reserves are established at the shores of the lake:
On February 14, 1968, aCessna 182H CF-WUK plane crashed into the lake due toice forming on the wings and causing the pilot to lose control. The pilot was a Graham James Cox, a former501 Squadron Commander during theSecond World War. Both he and his two passengers died in the accident. The passengers were William Henry Lucus and Kenneth McIntosh McMillan.[5]
On May 20, 2011, a Bell 212 helicopter crashed into the lake while fighting the2011 Slave Lake fire. The pilot, 54-year-old Jean-Luc Deba of Montreal, died. On the one-year anniversary, a park at Canyon Creek was named in Deba's honor.[6]
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
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