Lake of the Woods
Encyclopedia
Lake of the Woods is a lake
occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario
and Manitoba
and the U.S. state
of Minnesota
. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States
. The Northwest Angle
and the town of Angle Township
can only be reached from the rest of Minnesota by crossing the lake or by traveling through Canada
. The Northwest Angle is the northernmost part of the contiguous United States
.
Lake of the Woods is fed by the Rainy River, Shoal Lake
, Kakagi Lake
, and other smaller rivers. The lake drains into the Winnipeg River
and then into Lake Winnipeg
. Ultimately, its outflow goes north through the Nelson River
to Hudson Bay
.
Lake of the Woods is over seventy miles long and wide, and contains more than 14,552 islands and 65,000 miles (105,000 km) of shoreline. It would amount to the longest coastline of any Canadian lake, except that the lake is not entirely within Canada. Lake of the Woods is also the 6th largest freshwater
lake located (at least partially) in the United States- after the five Great Lakes
.
The lake's islands provide nesting habitat for the piping plover
and large numbers of American white pelican
s. There are also several hundred nesting pairs of bald eagle
s in this area.
(IJC) in 1912. In 1917 the IJC recommended the creation of control boards and the operating conditions they would apply to lake level management. The first of these boards, the Lake of the Woods Control Board (LWCB), was established by Canadian Order-in-Council in 1919. Two additional acts provided statutory establishment of the LWCB, defined its jurisdiction and powers, and provided for board members appointed by Canada and Ontario: the Lake of the Woods Control Board Act, Canada, 1921, the Lake of the Woods Control Board Act, Ontario, 1922. In 1922 the Canada-Ontario-Manitoba Tripartite Agreement was signed by the respective governments. Initially only Canada and Ontario appointed members to the board as, at that time, natural resources in Manitoba were administered by Canada. In 1958, having gained control over its natural resources, Manitoba passed its own Lake of the Woods Control Board Act. That same year, Canada and Ontario amended their original versions of the acts. As a result of these legislative changes, the LWCB now has one member appointed by Canada, two appointed by Ontario, and one appointed by Manitoba.
Following the IJC recommendations of 1917, discussions between the federal governments of Canada and the United States resulted in the 1925 Canada/USA Convention and Protocol regarding Lake of the Woods. This treaty established the water level operating range on Lake of the Woods, defined the purpose and general mode of operation, and provided for two boards to control regulation. The previously established Canadian LWCB was to regulate the lake on an on-going basis, but its decisions were to be subject to approval by an International Lake of the Woods Control Board (ILWCB) whenever lake levels rose above or fell below certain limits. In cases where agreement could not be reached between Canadian and American members of the international board, the disputed matter would be referred to the IJC for final decision. The International Lake of the Woods Control Board, however, is not a board created by the IJC. The board's members (one American and one Canadian) are appointed by the respective federal governments.
The Aulneau Peninsula was named after the Jesuit
Father Jean-Pierre Aulneau
, a French
Catholic priest
, who was killed by natives on 8 June 1736 on Lake of the Woods. The Catholic Church in Warroad, Minnesota
, is named Father Aulneau Memorial Church in his honor.
offers a wide variety of services including campsites, toilet facilities, a marina with access to the Zippel River, and a beach. Minnesota and Ontario both offer state sanctioned parks and campsites, which can be located through the respective governments. Backcountry campers can locate a prospective campsite on Lake of the Woods by boat, landing and examining the site in person. There is abundant wildlife even on the small islands on the lake, so it is a good idea to take precautions against bear and biting insects as well.
Numerous marinas and resorts on the lake provide accommodation and dining, houseboat rentals, nautical charts, camping and fishing advice, and expert knowledge on how to most enjoy the lake.
population, but northern pike
, perch
, crappie
, panfish, smallmouth bass
, largemouth bass
, lake trout
, lake sturgeon
, and muskellunge
can also be caught.
.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Northwest Angle
Northwest Angle
The Northwest Angle, known simply as the Angle by locals, and coextensive with Angle Township, is a part of northern Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, and is the only place in the United States outside Alaska that is north of the 49th parallel...
and the town of Angle Township
Angle Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota
Angle Township is a township in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 119 at the 2010 census. At 49.22° north latitude, it is the northernmost township in Minnesota and the northernmost point in the contiguous 48 states...
can only be reached from the rest of Minnesota by crossing the lake or by traveling through Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Northwest Angle is the northernmost part of the contiguous United States
Contiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
.
Lake of the Woods is fed by the Rainy River, Shoal Lake
Shoal Lake
Shoal Lake is a lake in extreme west of Ontario, Canada, northwest of Lake of the Woods. Depending on the water level of Lake of the Woods, Shoal Lake runs both into and out of Lake of the Woods and, for many practical purposes, is part of that lake....
, Kakagi Lake
Kakagi Lake
Kakagi Lake, also known as Crow Lake, is a lake just north of Nestor Falls, Ontario, Canada, in the township of Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls and right across Highway 71 from Stevens Bay on Lake of the Woods...
, and other smaller rivers. The lake drains into the Winnipeg River
Winnipeg River
The Winnipeg River is a Canadian river which flows from Lake of the Woods in the province of Ontario to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. This river is long from the Norman Dam in Kenora to its mouth at Lake Winnipeg. Its watershed is in area, mainly in Canada. About of this area is in northern...
and then into Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
. Ultimately, its outflow goes north through the Nelson River
Nelson River
The Nelson River is a river of north-central North America, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Its full length is , it has mean discharge of , and has a drainage basin of , of which is in the United States...
to Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
.
Lake of the Woods is over seventy miles long and wide, and contains more than 14,552 islands and 65,000 miles (105,000 km) of shoreline. It would amount to the longest coastline of any Canadian lake, except that the lake is not entirely within Canada. Lake of the Woods is also the 6th largest freshwater
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
lake located (at least partially) in the United States- after the five Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
.
The lake's islands provide nesting habitat for the piping plover
Piping Plover
The Piping Plover is a small sand-colored, sparrow-sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black ring around the neck...
and large numbers of American white pelican
American White Pelican
The American White Pelican is a large aquatic bird from the order Pelecaniformes. It breeds in interior North America, moving south and to the coasts, as far as Central America, in winter....
s. There are also several hundred nesting pairs of bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s in this area.
Governance
The construction of dams at the Lake of the Woods outlets in present-day Kenora in the late 19th century led to concerns over high and low water levels on the lake early in the 20th century. The federal governments of Canada and the United States referred the matter to the International Joint CommissionInternational Joint Commission
The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:...
(IJC) in 1912. In 1917 the IJC recommended the creation of control boards and the operating conditions they would apply to lake level management. The first of these boards, the Lake of the Woods Control Board (LWCB), was established by Canadian Order-in-Council in 1919. Two additional acts provided statutory establishment of the LWCB, defined its jurisdiction and powers, and provided for board members appointed by Canada and Ontario: the Lake of the Woods Control Board Act, Canada, 1921, the Lake of the Woods Control Board Act, Ontario, 1922. In 1922 the Canada-Ontario-Manitoba Tripartite Agreement was signed by the respective governments. Initially only Canada and Ontario appointed members to the board as, at that time, natural resources in Manitoba were administered by Canada. In 1958, having gained control over its natural resources, Manitoba passed its own Lake of the Woods Control Board Act. That same year, Canada and Ontario amended their original versions of the acts. As a result of these legislative changes, the LWCB now has one member appointed by Canada, two appointed by Ontario, and one appointed by Manitoba.
Following the IJC recommendations of 1917, discussions between the federal governments of Canada and the United States resulted in the 1925 Canada/USA Convention and Protocol regarding Lake of the Woods. This treaty established the water level operating range on Lake of the Woods, defined the purpose and general mode of operation, and provided for two boards to control regulation. The previously established Canadian LWCB was to regulate the lake on an on-going basis, but its decisions were to be subject to approval by an International Lake of the Woods Control Board (ILWCB) whenever lake levels rose above or fell below certain limits. In cases where agreement could not be reached between Canadian and American members of the international board, the disputed matter would be referred to the IJC for final decision. The International Lake of the Woods Control Board, however, is not a board created by the IJC. The board's members (one American and one Canadian) are appointed by the respective federal governments.
Minnesota
- Angle TownshipAngle Township, Lake of the Woods County, MinnesotaAngle Township is a township in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 119 at the 2010 census. At 49.22° north latitude, it is the northernmost township in Minnesota and the northernmost point in the contiguous 48 states...
- BaudetteBaudette, Minnesota-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,104 people, 490 households, and 271 families residing in the city. The population density was 334.1 people per square mile . There were 540 housing units at an average density of 163.4 per square mile...
- HackettHackett, MinnesotaHackett is a small unincorporated community in Wheeler Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. It lies 10 miles north of Baudette.County Road 32, County Road 70, and State Highway 172 are three of the main routes in the community....
- RoseauRoseau, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 2,756 people, 1,157 households, and 713 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,153.6 people per square mile . There were 1,229 housing units at an average density of 514.4 per square mile...
- WarroadWarroad, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 1,722 people, 657 households, and 419 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 766 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 81.65% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 7.38% Native American,...
- Wheeler's PointWheeler's Point, MinnesotaWheeler's Point is a small unincorporated community in Wheeler Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. It lies 12 miles north of Baudette.County Highway 8 and Minnesota State Highway 172 are two of the main routes in the community....
Ontario
- Northwest Angle 33 First NationNorthwest Angle 33 First NationNorthwest Angle 33 First Nation is an Ojibwa or Ontario Saulteaux First Nation located in Kenora District, Ontario near Sioux Narrows of Lake of the Woods.Total registered population in September, 2007, was 438, of which the on-reserve population was 187...
- Big Grassy First Nation
- French Portage Narrows
- Kenora
- Minaki
- Lake of the WoodsLake of the Woods, OntarioLake of the Woods is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within the Rainy River District. The township is located on the eponymous Lake of the Woods, consisting of mainland in the south-east part of the lake, the southern shores of Aulneau Peninsula, along with several islands...
- Anishnaabeg of Naongashiing First Nation
- Naotkamegwanning First NationNaotkamegwanning First NationNaotkamegwanning First Nation, formerly known as Whitefish Bay First Nation and known in the Ojibwe language as Ne-adikamegwaning , is an Ojibwa or Ontario Saulteaux First Nation located in Kenora District, Ontario near Sioux Narrows of Lake of the Woods.Total registered population in September,...
- Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls
- Obashkaandagaang Bay First Nation
- Ochiichagwe'Babigo'Ining Ojibway NationOchiichagwe'Babigo'Ining Ojibway NationOchiichagwe'Babigo'Ining Ojibway Nation, formerly but still commonly—and incorrectly—known as the Dalles First Nation, is an Ojibwa or Ontario Saulteaux First Nation located in Kenora District, Ontario near Sioux Narrows of Lake of the Woods....
- Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation
- Rainy RiverRainy River, OntarioThe Canadian town of Rainy River is situated on the Ontario-Minnesota border, along the Rainy River opposite Baudette, Minnesota, USA, and southeast of the Lake of the Woods...
- Northwest Angle 37 First Nation
- Anishinabe of Wauzhushk Onigum First Nation
Aulneau Peninsula
The largest land feature in Lake of the Woods is the Aulneau Peninsula. It is connected to the mainland with a tiny neck of land at its southeast corner, but a canal (Turtle Portage) was cut through at this point, effectively making the Aulneau an island. The canal has now been filled back in. A manually run portage for small- to medium-sized boats is in its place. The Aulneau is approximately twenty miles long (32 km) and ten miles (16 km) wide. It contains within it over eighty lakes, the largest of which is Arrow Lake, with thirteen islands in it.The Aulneau Peninsula was named after the Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
Father Jean-Pierre Aulneau
Jean-Pierre Aulneau
Father Jean-Pierre Aulneau de la Touche, S.J. was a Jesuit missionary priest who was briefly active in New France and killed before he could take part in his first major assignment which was to be an expedition to the Mandan. He died near Fort St. Charles, on Lake of the Woods in an area now in...
, a French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
Catholic priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
, who was killed by natives on 8 June 1736 on Lake of the Woods. The Catholic Church in Warroad, Minnesota
Warroad, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,722 people, 657 households, and 419 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 766 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 81.65% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 7.38% Native American,...
, is named Father Aulneau Memorial Church in his honor.
Other islands
- Big Island
- Bigsby Island
- Brush Island, Minnesota
- Copeland Island, otherwise known as Camp Stephens. A WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
YM-YWCA summer campSummer campSummer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
. - Flag Island, Minnesota
- Garden Island, Minnesota
- Little Oak Island, Minnesota
- Magnuson's Island, site of the restored Fort St. Charles
- Massacre Island, a small island in the middle of the lake, the possible site where twenty French men as well as a group of Cree traders were beheaded in the mid 18th century by Sioux. The site is marked by a large wooden cross at the shore of the island. This incident sparked decades of war between the Sioux and the Ojibway, allies of both the French and the Cree.
- Oak Island, Minnesota
- Penasse Island, site of American Point, formerly the most northern post office in the contiguous United States
Recreation on Lake of the Woods
Tourism is a large part of the local economy of Lake of the Woods, and there are many recreational opportunities available on the lake and in the surrounding countryside. Much of the lake is fairly remote, but resorts and equipment outfitters offer options for those who do not have access to their own boats and equipment.Camping
Minnesota's Zippel Bay State ParkZippel Bay State Park
Zippel Bay State Park is a state park in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota in the United States. It is on the white sand beach shoreline of the Lake of the Woods, near the United States border with Canada...
offers a wide variety of services including campsites, toilet facilities, a marina with access to the Zippel River, and a beach. Minnesota and Ontario both offer state sanctioned parks and campsites, which can be located through the respective governments. Backcountry campers can locate a prospective campsite on Lake of the Woods by boat, landing and examining the site in person. There is abundant wildlife even on the small islands on the lake, so it is a good idea to take precautions against bear and biting insects as well.
Numerous marinas and resorts on the lake provide accommodation and dining, houseboat rentals, nautical charts, camping and fishing advice, and expert knowledge on how to most enjoy the lake.
Fishing
The vast size and terrain of Lake of the Woods provides many fishing environments and opportunities. The lake is best known for its walleyeWalleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
population, but northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, perch
Perch
Perch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, panfish, smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, lake trout
Lake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
, lake sturgeon
Lake sturgeon
The lake sturgeon is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of about 20 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is an evolutionarily ancient bottomfeeder with a partly cartilaginous skeleton and skin bearing rows of bony plates...
, and muskellunge
Muskellunge
A muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae...
can also be caught.
Royal Lake of the Woods Yacht Club
Lake of the woods is also home to the Royal Lake of the Woods Yacht ClubRoyal Lake of the Woods Yacht Club
Royal Lake of the Woods Yacht Club is a yacht club of Ontario, Canada, located on Yacht Club Island approximately 2 miles from Kenora, Ontario on Lake of the Woods. It was founded in 1903.-History:...
.
See also
- List of lakes in Minnesota
- List of lakes in Ontario
- Canada – United States border
- Northwestern point of the Lake of the WoodsNorthwestern point of the Lake of the WoodsThe northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods was a critical landmark for the boundary between U.S. territory and the British possessions to the north. This point was used in the Treaty of Paris in 1783 and in later treaties including the Treaty of 1818. This point lies at the corner of the...
- List of areas disputed by Canada and the United States
- Lake AgassizLake AgassizLake Agassiz was an immense glacial lake located in the center of North America. Fed by glacial runoff at the end of the last glacial period, its area was larger than all of the modern Great Lakes combined, and it held more water than contained by all lakes in the world today.-Conception:First...