| Makwa Lake | |
|---|---|
  Makwa Lake Location in Saskatchewan Show map of Saskatchewan Makwa Lake Makwa Lake (Canada) Show map of Canada | |
| Location | RM of Loon Lake No. 561, Saskatchewan |
| Coordinates | 54°04′00″N109°15′03″W / 54.0668°N 109.2507°W /54.0668; -109.2507 |
| Part of | Churchill River drainage basin |
| Primary inflows | Ministikwan Creek |
| Primary outflows | Makwa River |
| Basin countries |  Canada |
| Surface area | 3,186.4 ha (7,874 acres) |
| Max. depth | 27.5 m (90 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 67.9 km (42.2 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 524 m (1,719 ft) |
| Settlements | Loon Lake |
| 1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure. | |
Makwa Lake,[1] which isCree forLoon Lake, is a lake in the west-central region of theCanadian province ofSaskatchewan in the transition zone betweenparkland andboreal forest. TheBattle of Loon Lake, which was last battle of theNorth-West Rebellion, happened at Steele Narrows,[2] a strait at the entrance to Sanderson Bay on Makwa Lake. The site is now part ofSteele Narrows Provincial Park.
Makwa Lake is home to a section ofMakwa Lake Provincial Park, twoFist Nations (Thunderchild andMakwa Sahgaiehcan), and two communities (Loon Lake and Pine Cove[3]). Pine Cove and Loon Lake are along the eastern shore and accessed fromHighway 26 whileHighway 699 runs along the southern shore and provides access to both provincial parks. The two First Nations each have twoIndian reserves at the lake:Thunderchild 115S,Thunderchild 115Z,Makwa Lake 129, andMakwa Lake 129B.[4] At the lake's outflow, at the north-east corner, is a small dam calledMakwa Lake Control that is used to control lake levels.[5]
Makwa Lake is divided into two main bodies – one to the east and one to the west. Originally the sections were considered separate lakes with the western part being calledLoon Lake. They are separated by a shallow, marshystrait near where Ministikwan Creek enters the lake. The communities of Pine Cove and Loon Lake, Makwa River, and Makwa Lake Provincial Park are on the eastern side while Steele Narrows Provincial Park and Sanderson Bay are on the western side. Sanderson Bay is also referred to as Upper and Lower Tullibee Lake. Upper Makwa Lake[6][7] is a narrow lake between the two main bodies of Makwa Lake and north ofJumbo Lake that drains into Sanderson Bay. Jumbo Lake flows into the eastern body of Makwa Lake via the smaller Little Jumbo Lake.[8]
While several small creeks flow into Makwa Lake, Ministikwan Creek[9] is the primary inflow. It begins from the west atMinistikwan Lake.
Makwa Lake Provincial Park[10] was created in 1986 and is located on the north-eastern shore of Makwa Lake and around the neighbouring Little Jumbo andJumbo Lakes. The main entrance to the park is at the south-east corner of Makwa Lake and about 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the village of Loon Lake.Steele Narrows Provincial Park is a small park located at Steele Narrows, which is the entrance to Sanderson Bay. The park is the site of theBattle of Loon Lake, which was not only the last battle of theNorth-West Rebellion but also the last battle fought on Canadian soil. The site is aNational Historic Site of Canada and there are commemorative plaques,[11] a picnic area, and a boat launch.
Both provincial parks are accessed from Highway 699.[12]
Fish commonly found in the lake include northern pike, walleye, and yellow perch.[13][14]
