Mission Lake,[1] also known as Lebret Lake, is a lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is one of four lakes in the Qu'Appelle Valley known as the Fishing Lakes.[2] Echo Lake is upstream and Katepwa Lake is downstream. The lake was named Mission after the Catholic mission at Lebret. Highways 22 35, and 56 provide access to the lake.[3]
| Mission Lake | |
|---|---|
 Mission Lake | |
  Mission Lake Location in Saskatchewan  Mission Lake Mission Lake (Canada) | |
| Location | Saskatchewan |
| Group | Fishing Lakes |
| Coordinates | 50°45′33″N 103°44′29″W / 50.75917°N 103.74139°W |
| Primary inflows | Qu'Appelle River |
| Primary outflows | Qu'Appelle River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
| Max. width | 1.6 km (0.99 mi) |
| Surface area | 769 ha (1,900 acres) |
| Average depth | 8.3 m (27 ft) |
| Max. depth | 16.8 m (55 ft) |
| Water volume | 62,937 dam3 (51,024 acre⋅ft) |
| Shore length1 | 14.5 km (9.0 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 459 m (1,506 ft) |
| Settlements | Lebret |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Mission Lake, as well as the other three Fishing Lakes, are all in the Qu'Appelle Valley, which was formed about 14,000 years ago during the last ice age. Meltwater from the glaciers carved out the valley and as water levels rose and fell, alluvium was left in the wake. These piles of alluvium are what created the separations between the lakes.[4]
The Qu'Appelle River is both the primary inflow and out flow. The river enters the lake at the west end, near the town of Fort Qu'Appelle, and exits the lake at the south-east end. Echo Creek[5] is a small creek that rises to the south-west near McLean and enters the lake at the south-west corner.
Communities
editMission Lake is located in the RM of North Qu'Appelle No. 187. At the western end is the town of Fort Qu'Appelle, which sits between Mission and Echo Lakes. The village of Lebret[6] and the adjoining Wa-pii-moos-toosis Indian Reserve are on the northern shore along Highway 56. The Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School[7] was located on the Wa-pii-moos-toosis Indian Reserve.
Recreation
editMission Ridge Winter Park[8] is a ski resort in the Qu'Appelle River valley near the south-west area of the lake. Syrian Beach is on the southern shore, near the east end and directly across the lake from Lebret. Lebret Provincial Recreation Site[9] is at the village of Lebret. It is a small park at Haffner Beach with a picnic area and boat launch.
Fish species
editFish commonly found in Mission Lake include walleye, perch, and northern pike.
Gallery
edit-
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
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Mission Lake and Lebret, 1921
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Mission Lake, c. 1920s
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Echo Creek, which flows into Mission Lake at the south-west corner, near Fort Qu'Appelle
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Mission Lake and Fort Qu'Appelle Indian Industrial School, May 1885
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Mission Lake". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
- ^ "Lower Qu'Appelle River Watershed | Water Security Agency". Wsask.ca. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ "Qu'Appelle Lakes, Saskatchewan, Canada". Lake Lubbers. Lakelubbers LLC. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "Qu'Appelle Valley Geolog". Cmste.uregina.ca. 8 October 2004. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Echo Creek". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
- ^ McLennan, David. "Lebret". The encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "Lebret (Qu'Appelle)". nctr. University of Manitoba. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "Mission Ridge". Mission Ridge. Mission Ridge Winter Park. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "Lebret Recreation Site". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
External links
edit- Media related to Mission Lake at Wikimedia Commons
