Winnipeg is Canada’s fifth largest lake. It is quite large and deep, therefore it is the twelfth largest freshwater body in the world. Winnipeg Lake is located in Manitoba. This area is located in the center of Canada.
Lake characteristic
The pond belongs to the catchment basin of the Hudson Bay. The area of the lake is about 24 thousand square meters. km Where is Lake Winnipeg, we already know, and what are its features?
In shape, it is extended in the meridional direction for approximately 400 km. The pond consists of two parts connected by a duct. The average depth is insignificant - about 12 m, the narrow connecting channel between the northern and southern parts reaches a depth of 36 m. The lake is located only 55 km from the city of the same name (northern direction). Together with the neighboring reservoirs of Manitoba and Winnipegosis, Winnipeg forms the Intergovernmental Region, which is part of the Manitoba Lowland.
Origin and nutrition
Lake Winnipeg is glacial in origin, one of the remains of the huge Agassis reservoir that existed on the site of modern southern Canada in the first millennia after the retreat of the last glacier. It is fed by the waters of several rivers, the most significant of them: Saskatchewan, Red River, Bloodwine and Winnipeg. Runoff is through the Nelson water stream, blocked by thirteen dams and flowing into the Hudson Bay.
A bit of history
Winnipeg Lake was discovered in 1690 by the wandering mechanic trader Henry Kelsey, who left behind the pond the name heard from the Cree Indians and meaning "muddy waters". The development of the area by the French colonialists who came from the Great Lakes began with the construction of the first forts in the 30s of the 18th century. After the defeat of France in the seven-year war and the transition of Canada under the rule of the British Empire, the Red River colony, based on the eponymous river 55 km south of the lake, took the name Winnipeg. In the XVIII-XIX centuries, it was the administrative center of the Hudson's Bay Company, exploiting the natural resources of the region, and is now the capital of the province of Manitoba.
An important trade route passed through Lake Winnipeg, connecting the northern Rupert Land and the thirteen colonies of the Atlantic coast. This route was used by fur dealers, and its importance increased after the declaration of US independence.
Coastline Features
The eastern shore is covered with relict taiga forests, which have the prospect of receiving from UNESCO the status of a natural zone that is part of the World Heritage Site. On the south side, the outlines of the shoreline of Lake Winnipeg have not undergone significant changes. On the coastal zone of the lake are sandy beaches, popular with tourists, as well as limestone cliffs with caves, where numerous flocks of bats live. Recently, coastal erosion processes have been observed. This is due to human intervention in the nature of the reservoir.
Flora and fauna
Aquatic life is diverse. Amateur and industrial fishing is developed on the lake. The latter industry brings up to $ 30 million a year, mainly due to the production of whitefish and pike perch. Winnipeg also catches pike, perch and acclimatized carp.
Neighborhood
On the shores of the reservoir there are many settlements in which more than 23 thousand permanent residents live, including a large number of Indians and Mestizos. On the south side, Lake Winnipeg is populated by representatives of the ancient community of Icelandic settlers Gimli, which was founded in 1887 and owned the best beaches. Since 1890, the annual Icelandic Manitoba Festival has been held there, gathering up to 50 thousand people, whom the organizers offer to "feel like Vikings." The tourism industry brings about $ 100 million annually and includes swimming, boating, sailing and windsurfing on the east and west coasts of the southern part of the lake.
Problems
A serious threat to fisheries and tourism is the spread of blue-green algae, E. coli, and cyanobacteria, which has intensified over the past 30 years due to the construction of a hydroelectric power station in Grand Rapids on the Saskatchewan River. Under pressure from the public and the tourism industry, which suffers from the closure of beaches during the flowering period, Manitoba Hydro, which regulates the flow of Saskatchewan, is forced to allocate large funds for continuous environmental monitoring.