Lesser Slave Lake (french: Petit lac des Esclaves)—known traditionally as "Beaver Lake" (ᐊᒥᐢᐠ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amisk sâkâhikan in the

Plains Cree language Plains Cree (endonym: ) is a dialect of the Algonquian language, Cree, which is the most populous Canadian indigenous language. Plains Cree is considered a dialect of the Cree-Montagnais language or a dialect of the Cree language that is di ...

, and T’saat’ine migeh in Dene Zhatıé) or "Beaver people were over there, living there" (ᐊᔭᐦᒋᔨᓂᐤ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ ayahciyiniw sâkahikan and T’saatine nda ghe’in’deh)—is located in central

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Terri ...

, Canada, northwest of

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anchor ...

. It is the second largest lake entirely within Alberta boundaries (and the largest easily accessible by vehicle), covering and measuring over long and at its widest point. Lesser Slave Lake averages in depth and is at its deepest. It drains eastwards into the

Athabasca River The Athabasca River (French: ''Rivière Athabasca'') is a river in Alberta, Canada, which originates at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park and flows more than before emptying into Lake Athabasca. Much of the land along its banks is pro ...

by way of the

Lesser Slave River The Lesser Slave River (Cree ''Iyaghchi Eennu Sepe'', translation: "River of the Strange People") is a river in central Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Athabasca River. The Lesser Slave Lake and the river were the main links ...

. The town of

Slave Lake Slave Lake is a town in northern Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124. It is approximately northwest of Edmonton. It is located on the southeast shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the junction ...

is located at the eastern tip of the lake, around the outflow of Lesser Slave River.

Conservation and development

Due to its location on a major fly-way for migrating birds, Lesser Slave Lake is popular with

birder Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...

s. The nearby

Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park and birdwatching area located in north-central Alberta, Canada. The park is located on the northeastern shore of the Lesser Slave Lake (while Hilliard's Bay Provincial Park, ''Lesser Slave L ...

has lakeside camping facilities located along sand beaches, with some rocky beaches as well. Fishing is popular and legal. The entire north shore of the lake is protected, other reserves being

Hilliard's Bay Provincial Park Hilliard's Bay Provincial Park is a provincial park in Alberta, Canada. It is located from High Prairie, on the north-western shore of Lesser Slave Lake in northern Alberta. The park is situated at an elevation of and has a surface of . It wa ...

, ''Lesser Slave Lake Wildland'' and ''Grouard Trail Park Reserve''. Highway 2 and the

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...

follow the southern shore of the lake, and the Bicentennial Highway has its southernmost point at eastern end of the lake. A number of

Indian reserves In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the ''Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." Ind ...

are established at the shores of the lake: *Kapawe'no First Nations Lands 150, 230 and 231 of the

Kapawe'no First Nation The Kapawe'no First Nation ( cr, ᑲᐹᐏᐣ, kapâwin) is a band government in Alberta, Canada. It is headquartered at Grouard, Alberta, which is near High Prairie. Indian Reserves Six Indian reserves are governed by the band: * Kapawe'no Fir ...

, *Sucker Creek 150a of the

Sucker Creek Cree First Nation Sucker Creek First Nation ( cr, ᓇᒦᐲ ᓰᐲᓯᐢ, namîpî sîpîsis) is a Cree First Nations band government whose reserve community is located along the southwestern shore of Lesser Slave Lake near Enilda, Alberta. It is a Treaty 8 First ...

*Drift Pile River 150 of the

Driftpile First Nation The Driftpile First Nation (or the Driftpile Cree Nation) ( cr, ᒪᐦᑕᐦᑕᑲᐤ ᓯᐱᕀᐩ, mihtatakaw sîpîy) is a Treaty 8 First Nation with a reserve, Drift Pile River 150, located on the southern shore of the Lesser Slave Lake on Al ...

*Swan River 150e'' of the Swan River First Nation *Sawridge 150g and h'' Sawridge Band

Accidents

;February 14, 1968 On February 14, 1968, a Cessna 182H CF-WUK plane crashed into the lake due to ice forming on the wings and causing the pilot to lose control. The pilot was a Graham James Cox, a former 501 Squadron Commander during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Both he and his two passengers died in the accident. The passengers were William Henry Lucus and Kenneth McIntosh McMillan. ;May 20, 2011 On May 20, 2011, a Bell 212 helicopter crashed into the lake while fighting the 2011 Slave Lake fire. The pilot, 54-year-old Jean-Luc Deba of Montreal, died. On the one-year anniversary, a park at Canyon Creek was named in Deba's honor.CTV.ca
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References

External links

Lesser Slave Lake Regional Tourism
{{Authority control Big Lakes County Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Lakes of Alberta Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124