Besnard Lake
Besnard Lake (/ˈbɛznɜːrd/ BEZ-nerd) is a lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, 370 kilometres (230 mi) north of Saskatoon and 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of La Ronge. It supports a large population of bald eagles that have been the subject of ongoing studies since the 1960s.
| Besnard Lake | |
|---|---|
Besnard Lake Besnard Lake in Saskatchewan Besnard Lake Besnard Lake (Canada) | |
| Location | Northern Saskatchewan Administration District |
| Coordinates | 55.4167°N 106.0005°W |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 43 km (27 mi) |
| Surface area | 12,500 ha (31,000 acres) |
| Max. depth | 25 m (82 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 400 km (250 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 390 m (1,280 ft) |
| Islands |
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| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The lake is 43 kilometres (27 mi) from tip to tip with 400 kilometres (250 mi) of shoreline. It has a surface area of 12,500 hectares (31,000 acres) and a maximum depth of 25 metres (82 ft), at an elevation of about 390 metres (1,280 ft). At a narrows it is crossed by a bridge carrying Highway 910. This road was completed in 1973 and increased access to recreational fishing. There are over 250 islands on the lake, and the lakebed is rocky, making navigation difficult but creating a good habitat for fish. There are cabins, campgrounds and fishing camps on the lake. There is a 950 m (3,120 ft) airstrip about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) south of the lake.
Besnard Lake is within the Churchill River drainage system. While much of the lake is in the Canadian Shield, its southern portion is in the boreal forest where the Mercer River brings nutrients which leads to healthy invertebrate populations that provide plenty of food for the fish which are the mainstay of the eagles' diet. They fish mainly for white sucker and cisco, and occasionally northern pike, walleye, and burbot. Compared to the nearby and similarly sized Nemeiben Lake, which is entirely on the shield, the eagle population has a higher density and stability.