Fife Lake (Saskatchewan)
{{Short description|Lake in Saskatchewan, Canada}}
{{Other uses|Fife Lake (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Fife Lake
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| image_bathymetry =
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| location = {{hlist|RM of Poplar Valley No. 12|RM of Willow Bunch No. 42}}, {{flag|Saskatchewan}}
| pushpin_map = Saskatchewan#Canada
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Saskatchewan
| coords = {{coord|49.2199|-105.8748|region:CA-SK_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| type = Prairie lake
| inflow = Hay Meadow Creek
| outflow = Girard Creek
| catchment =
| basin_countries = {{flag|Canada}}
| length = {{cvt|34|km}}
| width =
| area = {{cvt|2943.1|ha}}
| depth =
| max-depth = {{cvt|3.7|m}}
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| shore = {{cvt|56.1|km}}
| elevation = {{cvt|801.4|m}}
| islands =
| cities =
}}
Fife Lake{{cite web |title=Fife Lake |url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HABPB|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=7 January 2023}} is a fresh water prairie lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is in the south-central part of the province at the eastern end of the Wood Mountain Hills. The entire lake and its shoreline is designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada to protect the nationally endangered piping plover. While there are no communities along the lake's shore, there is a park and campground at the southern end. Nearby communities include Fife Lake, Rockglen, and Lisieux. Access is from Highway 18.{{cite web |title=Fife Lake |url=https://ca.geoview.info/fife_lake,118398225w |website=Geoview |publisher=Geoview |access-date=7 January 2023}}
Description
Fife Lake a is shallow, irregularly shaped prairie lake. Its primary inflow, Hay Meadow Creek, flows into the west end of the lake from the central part of the Wood Mountain Hills. Girard Creek,{{cite web |title=Girard Creek |url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HADII|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=7 January 2023}} the lake's outflow, is a tributary of the East Poplar River. The East Poplar River is a major tributary of the Poplar River, which connects to the Missouri River in the U.S. state of Montana.{{cite web |title=Fife Lake Fishing Map |url=https://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/ca_sk_fife_lake__sk-fife-lake-nautical-chart.html |website=GPS Nautical Charts |publisher=Bist LLC. |access-date=7 January 2023}}
Being a shallow prairie lake, during drought years, Fife Lake water levels drop significantly. Lake water levels have been known to fluctuate by over {{convert|2|m}}. A record surface elevation high of {{cvt|802.7|m}} was recorded in 1979 and a record low of {{cvt|800|m}} was recorded in 1993. By 2011, the lake had stabilised at {{cvt|801.4|m}} above sea level. Fife Lake had been known for great walleye fishing, but the low water levels through the late 1980s and 1990s had caused caused the fish to die off. While the lake is known for significant seasonal water level changes, the Water Security Agency said that the extreme water level changes seen at that time were related to coal mining operations {{convert|21|km}} to the south-east, near Coronarch. In the spring of 2016, with water levels having recovered, the lake was re-stocked with 200,000 walleye.{{cite news |last1=Archer |first1=Dan |title=Rockin Beach on Fife Lake closed for the 2020 season |url=https://www.sasktoday.ca/south/local-news/rockin-beach-on-fife-lake-closed-for-the-2020-season-4155651 |access-date=7 January 2023 |work=Sasktoday |publisher=Glacier Media Group |date=18 September 2020}}
Rockin Beach Regional Park
Rockin Beach Regional Park ({{Coord|49.1971|-105.8641|display=inline}}){{cite web |title=Rockin Beach Regional Park |url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HASTB|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=7 January 2023}} is a recreational park on the southern shore of Fife Lake, about {{convert|9.3|km}} east of Rockglen. It is run by a non-profit organisation.{{cite web |title=Rockin Beach Park |url=https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/listings/1615/rockin-beach-park |website=Tourism Saskatchewan |publisher=Government of Saskatchewan |access-date=7 January 2023}} The park has a campground, ball diamonds, volleyball courts, hiking trails, a motocross track, and lake access with a dock and a beach for swimming. The Rockin Beach Mud Bog event is held there every August.{{cite web |title=Fife Lake – Rockin Beach Regional Park |url=https://www.brmbmaps.com/explore/canada/saskatchewan/poplar-valley-no-12/fife-lake-%E2%80%93-rockin-beach-regional-park/26581 |website=BRMB |publisher=Mussio Ventures Ltd. |access-date=7 January 2023}}{{cite web |title=Rockin Beach Park |url=https://rockglensk.ca/community-town-of-rockglen-rm12-rockglen-tourism-tourism/attractions/ |website=Rockglensk |publisher=South Sask Ready |access-date=7 January 2023}}
Important Bird Area
The entirety of Fife Lake is part of the Fife Lake (SK 021) Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada.{{cite web |title=Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas |url=https://www.naturesask.ca/what-we-do/important-bird-areas |website=Nature Saskatchewan |publisher=Nature Saskatchewan |access-date=7 January 2023}} It is considered a critical piping plover habitat under the provincial Wildlife Habitat Protection Act. That designation protects the lake up to the high water mark from development. The IBA site itself totals {{cvt|81.34|km2}} of land with an elevation range of 800 metres to 823 metres above sea level. Besides the piping plover, other birds important to the lake include the western grebe, eared grebe, and the black-crowned night heron.{{cite web |title=Fife Lake |url=https://www.ibacanada.com/site.jsp?siteID=SK021 |website=IBA Canada |publisher=Birds Canada |access-date=7 January 2023}}
Fish species
The most commonly found fish in the lake is the walleye.{{cite web |title=Fife Lake |url=https://fishbrain.com/fishing-waters/8t-9slLz/fife-lake |website=Fishbrain |publisher=Fishbrain |access-date=7 January 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Walters |first1=Chelsea |title=Fife Lake - A Success Story |url=https://swf.sk.ca/2018/12/fife-lake-a-success-story/ |website=Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation |publisher=Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation |access-date=7 January 2023 |date=5 December 2018}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Canada topic|List of lakes of}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Lakes of Saskatchewan
Category:Important Bird Areas of Saskatchewan