| Churchill Lake | |
| Image Bathymetry: | Canada.A2002236.1810.721.250m.jpg |
| Caption Bathymetry: | NASA map showing Churchill Lake[1] |
| Location: | Saskatchewan |
| Coords: | 55.9167°N -128°W |
| Type: | Glacial lake |
| Inflow: | Kisis Channel from Peter Pond Lake, Simonds Channel from Frobisher Lake |
| Outflow: | Churchill River to Lac Île-à-la-Crosse |
| Part Of: | Churchill River drainage basin |
| Basin Countries: | Canada |
| Residence Time: | 2 years |
| Reference: | [2] [3] |
| Pushpin Map: | Saskatchewan#Canada |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Saskatchewan |
Churchill Lake[4] is a glacial lake in the north-west part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Frobisher Lake flows in from the north while Peter Pond Lake flows in from the east through the Kisis Channel. Highway 155 crosses this channel at the village of Buffalo Narrows.[5]
It is part of the Churchill River drainage basin.[6] It is the source of the 1609km (1,000miles) long Churchill River, which flows into the Hudson Bay. The lake can freeze from as early as November and remain frozen till May.[2]
The village of Buffalo Narrows is on the south-western shore and the Churchill Lake Indian reserve is at the northern end. Churchill Lake Outfitting is on the north-western shore.[7] Access to the lake is from Highway 155 and Buffalo Narrows Airport.
John Franklin's Coppermine Expedition map of 1819–1822 shows details of the fur trade route from Île-à-la-Crosse to the Methye Portage. Churchill Lake is shown as "Clear Lake" with its northern reaches still unknown. The upstream lakes on the map include Methye Lake (Lac La Loche) and Buffalo Lake (Peter Pond Lake). Clearwater Lake (or Clear Lake) was renamed Churchill Lake in 1944 and Buffalo Lake was renamed Peter Pond Lake in 1932.
The lake's fish species include: walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco, white sucker, longnose sucker, and burbot.[8] [9] [10] [11]