Last Mountain Lake
Encyclopedia
Last Mountain Lake, also known as Long Lake, is a prairie lake
formed from glaciation 11,000 years ago. It is located in south central Saskatchewan
, Canada
, about 40 km northwest of the city of Regina
adjacent to the Qu'Appelle Valley, which it flows south into through Last Mountain Creek which flows past Craven
. It is approximately 93 km long, and only 3 km wide at its widest point. It is the largest naturally occurring body of water in southern Saskatchewan, although Lake Diefenbaker
(created by damming) is larger. The Lake was named for a Plains Cree legend about the Great Spirit shoveling dirt from the valley the lake now occupies and forming Last Mountain Hills east of Duval
.
The lake is a popular resort area for residents of southeastern Saskatchewan. Several resort communities such as Arlington Beach
, Grandview Beach, Eldora Beach, Regina Beach
, Saskatchewan Beach, Buena Vista
, Glen Harbour, Alice and Wee Too Beach, Colesdale Park, Spring Bay, Pelican Pointe, Sunset Cove, Island View, Etter's Beach, and Mohr's Beach are on the shores of the lake. Access to the area was opened up by the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railroad and Steamboat Company
who also operated steamships on the lake.
Near the town of Strasbourg
along the lake's eastern shore lies Rowan's Ravine Provincial Park. This park includes a full service marina for boaters, a full-service campground, restaurant, mini-golf, and other facilities including a large sandy point that serves as a beach. The marina is often used by recreational boaters and sailors traveling from Regina Beach as a stop over or refueling point, and holds a large fishing tournament every September. Last Mountain House Provincial Park is located on the south-east shore and provides tours of historical Last Mountain House, which was built by the Hudson's Bay Company
in 1869.
The Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary, the first federal bird sanctuary in North America
, was established here. Over 280 bird species have been recorded. The lake contains appropriate habitat for 9 of Canada
's 36 species of vulnerable, threatened and endagered bird, such as the peregrine falcon
, piping plover
, burrowing owl
and whooping crane
.
The northern end of the lake is very shallow and contains wetlands. Part of this area of the lake and surrounding area has been set aside as the Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area, which is a site of regional importance in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
.
The lake contains a host of fish
species including walleye
, yellow perch
, northern pike
, burbot
, lake whitefish
, cisco
, bigmouth buffalo
, white sucker
and common carp
.
Prairie lake
A prairie lake is a somewhat shallow lake that will empty naturally during dry periods allowing a variety of land plants to flourish in the rich nutrients on the lake bottom. The lakes eventually fill up with water returning to their previous state. In northern Florida, a Flatwoods/Prairie Lake is...
formed from glaciation 11,000 years ago. It is located in south central Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, 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...
, about 40 km northwest of the city of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
adjacent to the Qu'Appelle Valley, which it flows south into through Last Mountain Creek which flows past Craven
Craven, Saskatchewan
Craven is a village in Saskatchewan. It is located northeast of Lumsden, Saskatchewan in the Qu'Appelle Valley. It lies between the rural municipalities of Longlaketon No. 219 and Lumsden No. 189....
. It is approximately 93 km long, and only 3 km wide at its widest point. It is the largest naturally occurring body of water in southern Saskatchewan, although Lake Diefenbaker
Lake Diefenbaker
Lake Diefenbaker is a reservoir in Southern Saskatchewan, Canada. It was formed by the construction of Gardiner Dam and the Qu'Appelle River Dam across the South Saskatchewan and Qu'Appelle Rivers respectively. Construction began in 1959 and the lake was filled in 1967. The lake is long with...
(created by damming) is larger. The Lake was named for a Plains Cree legend about the Great Spirit shoveling dirt from the valley the lake now occupies and forming Last Mountain Hills east of Duval
Duval, Saskatchewan
-External links:*******-Footnotes:...
.
The lake is a popular resort area for residents of southeastern Saskatchewan. Several resort communities such as Arlington Beach
Arlington Beach, Saskatchewan
Arlington Beach is a hamlet in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is located on the eastern shore of Last Mountain Lake, northwest of Regina. Listed as a designated place by Statistics Canada, the hamlet had a population of 39 in the Canada 2006 Census....
, Grandview Beach, Eldora Beach, Regina Beach
Regina Beach, Saskatchewan
-External links:***...
, Saskatchewan Beach, Buena Vista
Buena Vista, Saskatchewan
Buena Vista is a village in south central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located northwest of Regina, near the southern shore of Last Mountain Lake.There is a lake that hosts fireworks displays on July 1st.-Statistics:-External links:*...
, Glen Harbour, Alice and Wee Too Beach, Colesdale Park, Spring Bay, Pelican Pointe, Sunset Cove, Island View, Etter's Beach, and Mohr's Beach are on the shores of the lake. Access to the area was opened up by the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railroad and Steamboat Company
Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railroad and Steamboat Company
The Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railroad and Steamboat Company was a railway that operated between Regina, Saskatchewan and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada via Craik, Saskatoon and Rosthern....
who also operated steamships on the lake.
Near the town of Strasbourg
Strasbourg, Saskatchewan
Strasbourg is a small town in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, located about 75 km away from the capital of Saskatchewan, Regina. Approximate population is 800 people. The school, William Derby School, which holds kindergarten to Grade 12 has 260 students.Nick Schultz of the NHL hockey...
along the lake's eastern shore lies Rowan's Ravine Provincial Park. This park includes a full service marina for boaters, a full-service campground, restaurant, mini-golf, and other facilities including a large sandy point that serves as a beach. The marina is often used by recreational boaters and sailors traveling from Regina Beach as a stop over or refueling point, and holds a large fishing tournament every September. Last Mountain House Provincial Park is located on the south-east shore and provides tours of historical Last Mountain House, which was built by the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
in 1869.
The Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary, the first federal bird sanctuary in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, was established here. Over 280 bird species have been recorded. The lake contains appropriate habitat for 9 of 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...
's 36 species of vulnerable, threatened and endagered bird, such as the peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, 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...
, burrowing owl
Burrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a tiny but long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing Owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated...
and whooping crane
Whooping Crane
The whooping crane , the tallest North American bird, is an endangered crane species named for its whooping sound. Along with the Sandhill Crane, it is one of only two crane species found in North America. The whooping crane's lifespan is estimated to be 22 to 24 years in the wild...
.
The northern end of the lake is very shallow and contains wetlands. Part of this area of the lake and surrounding area has been set aside as the Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area, which is a site of regional importance in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network is a conservation strategy targeting shorebirds in the Americas launched in 1985. Its aim is to protect the nesting, breeding and staging habitats of migratory shorebirds...
.
The lake contains a host of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
species including walleye
Walleye
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...
, yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, burbot
Burbot
The burbot is the only gadiform fish inhabiting freshwaters. It is also known as mariah, the lawyer, and eelpout. It is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk...
, lake whitefish
Lake whitefish
The lake whitefish , also called the Sault whitefish or gizzard fish, is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. A valuable commercial fish, they are also...
, cisco
Cisco (fish)
The ciscoes are salmonid fish of the genus Coregonus that differ from other members of the genus in having upper and lower jaws of approximately equal length and high gillraker counts...
, bigmouth buffalo
Bigmouth buffalo
The bigmouth buffalo, Ictiobus cyprinellus, also known as the gourd head, redmouth buffalo, buffalo fish, bernard buffalo, roundhead, or brown buffalo, is a large species of the Catostomidae or "sucker" family....
, white sucker
White Sucker
The White Sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. It is a long, round-bodied fish with a dark green, grey, copper, brown, or black back and sides and a light underbelly. When fullgrown, it is between 12...
and common carp
Common carp
The Common carp is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia. The wild populations are considered vulnerable to extinction, but the species has also been domesticated and introduced into environments worldwide, and is often considered an invasive...
.