| Wabamun Lake | |
|---|---|
 Wabamun Lake, as seen from Seba Beach | |
  Wabamun Lake | |
| Location | Parkland County, Alberta |
| Coordinates | 53°31′47″N 114°35′14″W / 53.52972°N 114.58722°W |
| Catchment area | 259 square kilometres (100 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 19.2 km (11.9 mi) |
| Max. width | 6.6 km (4.1 mi) |
| Surface area | 82 square kilometres (32 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | ≈11 metres (36 ft) |
| Water volume | 0.513 km3 (0.123 cu mi) |
| Shore length1 | 57.3 kilometres (35.6 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 724.55 metres (2,377.1 ft) |
| Settlements | Wabamun, Seba Beach, Fallis |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Wabamun Lake (sometimes spelled Wabumun) is one of the most heavily used lakes in Alberta, Canada. It lies 65 kilometres (40 mi) west of Edmonton. It is 19.2 kilometres (11.9 mi) long and 6.6 kilometres (4.1 mi) wide, covers 82 square kilometres (32 sq mi) and is 11 metres (36 ft) at its deepest, with somewhat clear water.[1][2]
Its name derives from the Cree word for mirror, ᐋᐧᐸᒧᐣ (wâpamon) a reference to the water of the lake.[3] The name for the lake in the Stoney language is Wihnemne.[4]
Wabamun was reputedly the best whitefish lake in the Edmonton area and is well known for its large northern pike, both of which were fished commercially during the early 20th century. A large variety of migrating, breeding and moulting wildfowl visit the lake. Beaver and muskrat use the lake while the surrounding upland supports coyotes, porcupine, moose and white-tailed deer. There are also reported sightings of cougars, wolves and bears. Alberta Fish and Wildlife has confirmed that there have been wolf kills of cattle and sheep near Isle Lake (northwest of Wabamun Lake). There are natural beaches along much of the shoreline, but emergent vegetation restricts their use. The most popular beaches for swimming are the artificially made one at the provincial park in Moonlight Bay, and the natural one at Seba Beach.[5] There are numerous recreational cottages along its shores. Several communities line the north shore of the lake, the largest being Wabamun. Rich coal deposits surrounding the lake have been mined by TransAlta for power plants it operates and that are cooled by lake water.
- ^ "Lakemap" (PDF). www.wabamunresidents.com.
- ^ "Atlas of Alberta Lakes". Archived from the original on 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2011-07-20.
- ^ "Search results". www.creedictionary.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
- ^ "Paul Band | Paul First Nation History | Duffield". website. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ "Wabamun Lake Provincial Park". Government of Alberta.