Geography of Saskatchewan#Floristic geography Terrain

Saskatchewan is very close to a trapezoid. Its western border runs concurrent with the 4th meridian or the 110°W longitude, separating Saskatchewan from the province of Alberta. This border extends in length for {{convert|1225|km|mi}} and was established in 1905 when both provinces were formed.

Saskatchewan's eastern border includes minor measurement errors from the 1880s, so that it does not lie perfectly on the 102°W longitude, but rather it is slightly west of that meridian from 60°N parallel to 55°47'N, then slightly east of that until the Canada–United States border – an irregular line (rather than a straight one) for its {{convert|1225|km|mi|adj=mid}} distance.{{cite journal

| last = Thomson

| first = Malcolm M.

|author2=Tanner, Richard W.

| title = Canada's Prime Meridian

| journal = Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

| volume = 71

| pages = 204

| date = April 1977

| id = 1977JRASC..71..204T

}}

When Saskatchewan was formed in 1905, Manitoba and the District of Keewatin were the neighbouring areas to the east. Manitoba was enlarged in 1912 north to the 60th parallel, becoming Saskatchewan's only eastern neighbour. This remaining section of the border was determined by survey between 1961 and 1972.

Saskatchewan's southern border with the United States sits approximately on the 49th parallel, as agreed in the Treaty of 1818—though minor measurement errors during the 1870s International Boundary Survey result in some variance between the actual Canada–United States border and the 49th parallel.{{cite encyclopedia

| last = Widdis

| first = Randy

| title = 49th Parallel

| encyclopedia = The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan

| publisher = Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina

| year = 2006

| url = http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/49th_parallel.html

| access-date = 2009-01-06

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081026191321/http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/49th_parallel.html

| archive-date = 2008-10-26

| url-status = dead

}} This boundary was not formally established until the 1867 survey.{{cite encyclopedia

| last = Lewry

| first = Marilyn

| title = Boundary surveys

| encyclopedia = The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan

| publisher = Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina

| year = 2006

| url = http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/boundary_surveys.html

| access-date = 2009-01-06

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120401132400/http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/boundary_surveys.html

| archive-date = 2012-04-01

| url-status = dead

}} This border extends {{convert|627|km|mi}} across southern Saskatchewan.

The Northwest Territories is north of the 60th parallel which forms the northern border of the province.{{cite web

|title = The Atlas of Canada – Territorial Evolution, 1905

|work = Natural Resources Canada

|publisher = Government of Canada

|date = 2004-04-06

|url = http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/historical/territorialevolution/1905/1

|access-date = 2009-01-06

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081212001951/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/historical/territorialevolution/1905/1

|archive-date = 2008-12-12

}}

This border extends {{convert|445|km|mi}} across northern Saskatchewan. The aforementioned measurement errors in the 1880s surveys place the Saskatchewan / Manitoba border approximately {{convert|400|m|yds}} west of the 102nd meridian and the accurately measured Northwest Territories / Nunavut border, just missing a true quadripoint of the Saskatchewan / Manitoba/Northwest Territories / Nunavut borders.

{{Main|Geology of Saskatchewan}}

The geology of Saskatchewan can be divided into two main geological regions, the Pre-Cambrian or Canadian shield and the Phanerozoic or Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Within the Canadian shield exists the Athabasca sedimentary basin. Meteorite impacts have altered the natural geological formation processes. The Quaternary period is the most recent geological process when the prairies were affected by glacial events.{{cite web

| title = Introduction to Saskatchewan's Geology

| publisher = Government of Saskatchewan

| url = http://www.ir.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=c5354720-bd9b-4dc6-b71c-41678c45a9f1

| access-date = 2009-01-24

}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} There are six notable meteorite or comet impact craters in Saskatchewan. Carswell, Deep Bay and Gow Lake have affected the Canadian Shield area of the north. In the southern Phanerozoic crater are the Viewfield, Elbow and Maple Creek structures.{{cite encyclopedia

|last = Macdonald

|first = R.

|title = Geology

|encyclopedia = The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan

|publisher = Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina

|year = 2006

|url = http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/geology.html

|access-date = 2009-01-24

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090619095311/http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/geology.html

|archive-date = 2009-06-19

|url-status = dead

}}

The Carswell structure is the largest astrobleme at {{convert|35|km|mi}} in diameter.{{cite encyclopedia

| last = Harper

| first = Charles

| title = Astroblemes

| encyclopedia = The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan Details

|publisher = Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina

| year = 2006

| url = http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/astroblemes.html

| access-date = 2009-01-24}}

{{Main|History of Saskatchewan}}

Archaeologists have dated the first human settlements to 9,500 BC. The four groups inhabiting the area at the time of the first European contact were the Cree, Assiniboine, Salteaux, and Dene.{{cite web|url=http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/history_of_saskatchewan.html|title=Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan: History of Saskatchewan|first=Michael|last=Cottrell|access-date=2009-01-12}} Henry Kelsey of the Hudson's Bay Company is considered the first European person to see this area. The earliest trading posts were made by the French; however, the first permanent settlement was established at Cumberland House in 1774 by the HBC. In addition, several more ports were set up by British fur traders among the area's waterways. The forested area of the Canadian Shield was the favoured area for early settlement, and the economy was heavily dependent on hunting and trapping.

In 1870, the Hudson's Bay Company sold Rupert's Land and ceded its rights to the Canadian Government. The region became a part of the North-West Territories. The majority of the Indigenous inhabitants in the North-West Territories made treaties with the British Crown (via Canadian government representatives) in the 1870s and were settled on Indian reserves.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} Additional native peoples and Métis, led by Louis Riel, rebelled between 1884 and 1885 in the North-West Rebellion and were suppressed.

The arrival of settlements and the rail lines also brought agricultural economies and development in the Central Lowlands Area. The Great Plains or Palliser Triangle area to the south was mainly used for ranching economies. In the beginning of the 20th century, Saskatchewan farmers created cooperative organizations to maintain grain marketization. During the drought and the Great Depression of the 1930s, the population decreased as immigration nearly ended and numerous families left. During World War II, conservation programs and the increased demand for grain revived the economy.

{{See also|Drought Research Initiative}}

File:Saskatchewan Köppen.svg

Being in the centre of North America, Saskatchewan is far removed from the moderating effects of any large body of water and therefore has a temperate continental climate, Köppen climate classification types BSk, Dfb and Dfc. Hot to warm summers and cold winters mean that the annual temperature range can be up to 65 °C.{{cite web|url=http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/climate.html|title=Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan: Climate|first=Mark|last=Cote|access-date=2009-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901122442/http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/climate.html|archive-date=2010-09-01|url-status=dead}} On average, Saskatchewan has 211 days per year when the temperature drops below freezing. Plough winds, Supercell hail or high precipitation rain storms, and tornadoes are eventful summer occurrences. Midale reached 45 °C (113 °F) on July 5, 1937, one of the highest recorded temperatures in Canada.

Compared to average values from all thirteen Canadian provinces and territories,{{cite web |url=http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/weather/winners/saskatchewan-e.html |title=Saskatchewan Weather Honours |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=2009-01-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327121655/http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/weather/winners/saskatchewan-e.html |archive-date=2009-03-27 }} Saskatchewan is the sunniest province or territory year round (2206 hours per year), has the second-lowest annual snowfall ({{convert|145|cm}}), the fourth-lowest total precipitation ({{convert|428|mm}}) and the second-hottest summer ({{convert|22.5|C}}). The number of frost-free days ranges from 95 days in the north (Prince Albert, for example) to as high as 124 days in the south (Estevan).{{cite web|url=http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Saskatchewan_Picture|title=Summary of Agriculture in Saskatchewan|publisher=Government of Saskatchewan|access-date=2009-01-10|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106063634/http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Saskatchewan_Picture|archive-date=2009-01-06}}

File:Qu'Appelle Valley1.jpg|View of winter in the Qu'Appelle Valley

File:The YMCA, after the June 30, 1912 cyclone.jpg|1912 Regina Cyclone after-effects

File:Carrotriver 2006 flood1.jpg|Carrot River spring flooding

{{Main|Climate change in Saskatchewan}}

The effects of climate change in Saskatchewan are now being observed in parts of the province. There is evidence of reduction of biomass in Saskatchewan's boreal forests{{cite journal |last1=Ma |first1=Zhihai |last2=Peng |first2=Changhui |last3=Zhu |first3=Qiuan |last4=Chen |first4=Huai |last5=Yu |first5=Guirui |last6=Li |first6=Weizhong |last7=Zhou |first7=Xiaolu |last8=Wang |first8=Weifeng |last9=Zhang |first9=Wenhua |title=Regional drought-induced reduction in the biomass carbon sink of Canada's boreal forests |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |date=2012 |volume=109 |issue=7 |pages=2423–2427 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1111576109 |pmid=22308340 |pmc=3289349 |bibcode=2012PNAS..109.2423M |doi-access=free }} (as with those of other Canadian prairie provinces) is linked by researchers to drought-related water stress, stemming from global warming, most likely caused by greenhouse gas emissions. While studies, as early as 1988 (Williams, et al., 1988) have shown climate change will affect agriculture,Williams, G.D.V., R.A. Fautley, K.H. Jones, R.B. Stewart, and E.E. Wheaton. 1988. "Estimating Effects of Climatic Change on Agriculture in Saskatchewan, Canada." p. 219-379. In M.L. Parry et al. (ed.) The Impact of Climatic Variations on Agriculture. Vol. 1 Assessment in Cool Temperate and Cold Regions. Reidel Publ. Co. Dordrecht. whether the effects can be mitigated through adaptations of cultivars, or crops, is less clear. Resiliency of ecosystems may decline with large changes in temperature.Riebsame. W.E. (1991). [https://www.colorado.edu/geography/class.../geog.../Travis_GP_sust.pdf "Sustainability of the Great Plains in an Uncertain Climate."]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Great Plains Research Vol.1 No.1, University of Nebraska The provincial government has responded to the threat of climate change by introducing a plan to reduce carbon emissions, "The Saskatchewan Energy and Climate Change Plan", in June 2007.

{{Main|List of municipalities in Saskatchewan}}

Saskatchewan's capital and second largest city is Regina. Its most populous city is Saskatoon.

{{clear}}

File:Qu'Appelle Valley near Cutarm, Sask., circa 1910.jpeg]]

{{Main|Flora of Saskatchewan}}

The native flora of the Saskatchewan includes vascular plants, plus additional species of other plants and plant-like organisms such as algae, lichens and other fungi, and mosses.{{cite web

| title = University of Saskatchewan: Virtual Herbarium

| work = Department of Biology

| url = https://www.usask.ca/biology/virtualherbarium/name/index.php

| access-date = 2009-01-25

| archive-date = 24 October 2018

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181024075126/http://www.usask.ca/biology/virtualherbarium/name/index.php

| url-status = dead

}} Non-native species of plants are recorded as established outside of cultivation in Saskatchewan, of these some non-native species remain beneficial for gardening, and agriculture, where others have become invasive, noxious weeds.{{cite web

| title =Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre

| work = About Government/News Releases/March 1999/Wild Plants and Animals Protected

| year = 2008

| url =http://www.biodiversity.sk.ca/ftp.htm

| access-date = 2009-01-25}}

{{cite web

|title = Wild Plants and Animals Protected

|work = About Agriculture/Production/Crops – Weeds/Invasive Alien Plant Program

|publisher = Government of Saskatchewan

|date = March 1999

|url = http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=79773c91-fd51-427e-a3ce-993e313c1289

|access-date = 2009-01-25

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110530114912/http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=79773c91-fd51-427e-a3ce-993e313c1289

|archive-date = 2011-05-30

}}

Saskatchewan is committed to protecting species at risk in Canada.{{cite web

|title=Wild Plants and Animals Protected

|work=About Government/News Releases/March 1999/Wild Plants and Animals Protected

|publisher=Government of Saskatchewan

|date=March 1999

|url=http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=46ff8065-ba88-47e8-aab5-35daf2fb72ee

|access-date=2009-01-25

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124170555/http://gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=46ff8065-ba88-47e8-aab5-35daf2fb72ee

|archive-date=2010-11-24

}}

The growing season has been studied and classified into plant hardiness zones depending on length of growing season and climatic conditions. Biogeographic factors have also been divided into ecoregions and floristic kingdoms across Saskatchewan, and natural vegetation varies depending on elevation, moisture, soil and weather.{{cite book

|last=Haggett

|first=Peter

|title=Encyclopedia of World Geography

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gKfH18uFN5MC&q=Canada+floristic+kingdoms&pg=PA355

|format=Digitized online by Google books

|access-date=2009-01-25

|edition= 2, illustrated

|year= 2002

|publisher=Marshall Cavendish

|isbn=0-7614-7289-4|page=355

}}

{{cite encyclopedia

| last = Coupland

| first = R.T.

|others=J.S. Rowe

| editor=J.H. Richards |editor2=K.I. Fung

| encyclopedia =Atlas of Saskatchewan

| title = Natural Vegetation of Saskatchewan

| year = 1969

| publisher = University of Saskatchewan

| location =Saskatoon, SK, CA

| pages =72–78

}}

The study of ethnobotany uncovers the interrelation between humans and plants and the various ways people have used plants for economic reasons, food, medicine and technological developments.{{cite book

|last= Elias

|first=Thomas S.

|title=Edible Wild Plants A North American Field Guide

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6a8MAgAACAAJ&q=edible+wild+plants+a+north+american+field+guide

|format=Digitized online by Google books

|access-date=2009-01-25

|year= 1983

|publisher=Cengage Learning

|isbn=0-442-22254-8|pages=9–28 and 258

|others=Peter A. Dykeman

}}

{{cite book

|last=Johnson

|first=Derek

|author2=Linda Kershaw |author3=Andy Mackinnon |author4=Jim Pojar

|title=Plants of the Western Boreal Forest and Aspen Parkland

|access-date=2009-01-25

|year=1995

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gpn0HAAACAAJ&q=Aspen+Parkland

|format=Digitized online by Google books

|publisher=Lone Pine Publishing and the Canadian Forest Service

|isbn=1-55105-058-7

|pages=11–21

}}

The Government of Saskatchewan has declared three indigenous plants as provincial symbols.{{Cite web| access-date= 2008-04-05| date= June 2008| author= Government of Saskatchewan| url= http://www.ops.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=392f9e7f-7d31-4a9f-81d1-2b95e7fdc8c6| title= Saskatchewan's Provincial Tree| archive-date= 31 October 2013| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131031141916/http://www.ops.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=392f9e7f-7d31-4a9f-81d1-2b95e7fdc8c6| url-status= dead}} File:Sk-terrain.jpg

{{See also|Fauna of Saskatchewan|List of mammals of Saskatchewan}}

The fauna of Saskatchewan include many land and aquatic species. From the multiplicity of invertebrates and vertebrates two have been chosen as symbols of Saskatchewan, the white-tailed deer and the sharp-tailed grouse.{{Cite web| url= http://www.ops.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=04b94b5e-e001-4d29-a31a-92a71c7bc305|title= Symbols of Saskatchewan|author= Government of Saskatchewan |access-date=2009-06-07}} Cenozoic vertebrate fossils reveal the geological evolution of the Interior Plains and its prehistoric biogeography.{{cite web

|title = Royal Saskatchewan Museum: Publications: Earth Sciences

|publisher = Royal Saskatchewan Museum

|year = 2009

|url = http://www.royalsaskmuseum.ca/research/publications/earth_sciences.shtml#espub6

|format = Abstract published online by JSTOR 2000-2008

|access-date = 2009-01-25

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090829111309/http://www.royalsaskmuseum.ca/research/publications/earth_sciences.shtml#espub6

|archive-date = 2009-08-29

}}

Today, Saskatchewan's ecosystems range from the sub-Arctic tundra of the Canadian Shield in north Saskatchewan to aspen parkland, and grassland prairie.{{cite web

| title = Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre

| publisher = Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre

| year = 2002

| url = http://www.biodiversity.sk.ca/eco.htm

| access-date =2009-01-25 }}

Fauna inhabit areas unique to their own specific and varied breeding, foraging and nesting requirements.{{citation

|last=ThorpeWapple

|first=Robert

|editor=Kai-iu Fung |editor2=Bill Barry |editor3=Wilson, Michael

| encyclopedia =Atlas of Saskatchewan Celebrating the Millennium

|title=Wildlife

|edition=Millennium

|year=1999

|publisher=University of Saskatchewan

|location=Saskatchewan

|isbn=0-88880-387-7

|pages=138–168

|others=Andrew B. Didiuk Alan Smith, Bernie Gollop, Jennifer Merkowsky, Peter Jonker

}}

With a large land and water area, and small population density, the ecoregions of Saskatchewan provide important habitat for many animals, both endangered and not.{{cite web|title=Narrative Descriptions of Terrestrial Ecozones and Ecoregions of Canada |work=The Green LaneTM, Environment Canada's World Wide Web site |publisher=Government of Canada |date=2005-04-11 |url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/soer-ree/English/Framework/NarDesc/canada_e.cfm |access-date=2009-01-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115225933/http://www.ec.gc.ca/soer-ree/English/Framework/NarDesc/canada_e.cfm |archive-date=January 15, 2009 }}

Naturalists observing wildlife have enumerated shrinking and growing wildlife populations. They advocate programs and methods to preserve or re-introduce endangered species and identify programs of control for outbreaks of wildlife populations.{{cite book

|last=Sterling

|first=Keir Brooks

|author2=C. Stuart Houston

|title=Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists and Environmentalists

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TvDiUjSnYKwC&q=%22passenger+pigeon%22+Saskatchewan&pg=PA269

|format=Digitized online by Google books

|access-date=2009-01-25

|edition=illustrated

|year=1997

|publisher= Greenwood Publishing Group

|isbn=0-313-23047-1|pages=267–269

}}

A broad diversity of wildlife habitats are preserved as parks and reserves protecting the feeding and breeding grounds of protected and indigenous fauna of Saskatchewan.{{cite encyclopedia

| last = Maher

| first = W.J.

|others=F.J. Atton, J.B. Gollop

| editor=J.H. Richards |editor2=K.I. Fung

| encyclopedia =Atlas of Saskatchewan

| title = Zoogeography

| year = 1969

| publisher = University of Saskatchewan

| location =Saskatoon, SK, CA

| pages =79–105

}}

{{see also|List of rivers of Saskatchewan|List of lakes of Saskatchewan}}

The total area of freshwater is 59,366 km².{{cite web|title=Land and Freshwater area by province |work=Statistics Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |date=2005-02-01 |url=http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/phys01-eng.htm |access-date=2007-04-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524063547/http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/phys01-eng.htm |archive-date=May 24, 2011 }}

There are two main river basins, the Nelson and Churchill River Basins, both of which drain into Hudson Bay.{{cite book

|last1=Benke

|first1=Arthur C.

|title=Rivers of North America: The Natural History

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=faOU1wkiYFIC&q=lakes+Rivers+Saskatchewan&pg=RA5-PA858

|access-date=2009-01-06

|year=2005

|publisher= Academic Press

|isbn=0-12-088253-1|pages=853–903

|first2=Colbert E. |last2=Cushing

}}

Qu'Appelle and Souris, the North and South Saskatchewan, confluence is east of Prince Albert becoming the Saskatchewan which are all a part of the Nelson river basin. The Churchill River connects lakes and streams through the lower portion of the Canadian Shield. Rupert's Land a historical political division of Canada comprised all lands of the Hudson Bay drainage system between the years 1670 to 1870.{{cite web

|title = The Atlas of Canada – Drainage Patterns

|work = Natural Resources Canada

|publisher = Government of Canada

|date = 2003-03-14

|url = http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/freshwater/distribution/drainage

|access-date = 2009-01-06

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081209001500/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/freshwater/distribution/drainage

|archive-date = 2008-12-09

}}

{{cite web

|last=Smith

|first=Shirlee Anne

| title = Rupert's Land

| publisher = Microsoft

| year = 2008

| url = http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007006

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040520051700/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007006

| url-status = dead

| archive-date = 20 May 2004

| access-date = 2009-01-06}}

Frenchman River does not flow east to Hudson Bay, but rather south to the Missouri River, which is part of the Missouri river basin catchment area. The Mackenzie River basin of north Saskatchewan flows north draining into the Arctic Ocean, which belongs to the Mackenzie river basin drainage area.{{cite web

|title=Saskatchewan (province) – MSN Encarta

|publisher=Microsoft

|year=2008

|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761567968/Saskatchewan_(province).html

|access-date=2009-01-06

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028195507/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761567968/Saskatchewan_(province).html

|archive-date=2009-10-28

|url-status=dead

}}

There are over 10,000 lakes across Saskatchewan, the main lake region being north of the tree line in the Canadian Shield.{{cite web

| title = Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists – The Saskatchewan Landscape

| work = Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists

| publisher = University of Saskatchewan

| year = 2004

| url = http://scaa.usask.ca/gallery/saskatchewan/gallerypage.php?load=thelake

}}

Saskatchewan's largest lake is Lake Athabasca which sits astride the Saskatchewan – Alberta border. The second in size is Reindeer Lake which is located on the Saskatchewan – Manitoba border. Other lakes of notable size would be Wollaston, Cree, Frobisher, and Lac La Ronge. The deepest water point {{convert|220|m|ft}} is located in Reindeer Lake at the Deep Bay Structure site which was created by a meteor impact.{{Cite journal

| title =Geoscape Northern SaskatchewanGeoscience for our Canadian Shield Community – Meteorite impact

| publisher =Government of Canada

| date =2008-01-07

| url =http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/nsask/meteorite_e.php

| access-date =2007-12-29

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080116204256/http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/nsask/meteorite_e.php

| archive-date =2008-01-16

| url-status =dead

}}

Saskatchewan is also home to preserved wetlands which are partially submerged areas of land.{{cite web

|title = The Atlas of Canada – Wetlands

|work = Natural Resources Canada

|publisher = Government of Canada

|date = 2003-03-14

|url = http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/freshwater/distribution/wetlands

|access-date = 2009-01-06

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080613195635/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/freshwater/distribution/wetlands

|archive-date = 2008-06-13

}}

Saskatchewan's waterways also contain bogs, as well as the salt water lakes. Quill Lake is Canada's largest saltwater lake, Chaplin Lake is a Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network and Littke Manitou, an endorheic lake, is a popular tourist resort. Brine shrimp fisheries have existed on sodium magnesium sulphate lakes such as Chaplin, Frederick, Ingebright, and Little Manitou lakes.{{cite book

|last1=Hammer

|first1=Ulrich Theodore

|title=Saline Lake Ecosystems of the World

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=faOU1wkiYFIC&q=lakes+Rivers+Saskatchewan&pg=RA5-PA858

|access-date=2009-01-06

|year=1986

|publisher=Springer

|isbn=90-6193-535-0|pages=55–57

|first2=Colbert E. |last2=Cushing

}}{{cite web

| title = Canada Facts: Saskatchewan

| work = Education Canada Network.

| publisher = Government of Canada

| date = 1996–2008

| url = http://www.educationcanada.com/facts/index.phtml?sid=sk&a=2&lang=eng

| access-date =2009-01-06 }}

{{See also|List of Canadian protected areas}}

Saskatchewan has 36 provincial parks that provide for recreational use or preserve wilderness, special environments, or sites of historic importance.{{cite web|url=http://www.sasktourism.com/places-to-go/parks/provincial-parks|title=Provincial Parks|publisher=Tourism Saskatchewan|access-date=2009-01-13}}

The province is also home to two of Canada's 36 national parks. Grasslands National Park, which covers {{convert|907|km2|sqmi}} in southernmost part of the province, was established in 1981.{{cite web|url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/sk/grasslands/index_e.asp|title=Grasslands National Park of Canada|publisher=Parks Canada|access-date=2009-01-13|archive-date=24 February 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224155836/http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/sk/grasslands/index_E.asp|url-status=dead}} The other is Prince Albert National Park covering {{convert|3874|km2|sqmi}} in central Saskatchewan, which was established in 1927.{{cite web|url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/sk/princealbert/visit/index_e.asp|title=Prince Albert National Park of Canada|publisher=Parks Canada|access-date=2009-01-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302173750/http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/sk/princealbert/visit/index_e.asp|archive-date=2007-03-02}}

{{Main|Economy of Saskatchewan}}

The economy of Saskatchewan has been associated with agriculture resulting in the moniker Bread Basket of Canada{{cite web

|last = Giannetta

|first = J.

|title = SASKATCHEWAN economy (oil and gas, mining, farming, forestry, food processing, dams and reservoirs, electricity)

|publisher = Sask web pages

|url = http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/sask/economy.html

|access-date = 2009-01-16

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090227100223/http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/sask/economy.html

|archive-date = 2009-02-27

}}

and Bread Basket of the World.{{cite web

| title = Immigration to Canada: Saskatchewan

| publisher = Abrams & Krochak – Canadian Immigration Lawyers

| year = 2008

| url = http://www.akcanada.com/lic_saskatchewan.cfm

| access-date = 2009-01-16}}

According to the Government of Saskatchewan, approximately 95% of all items produced in Saskatchewan, depend on the basic resources available within the province. Various grains, livestock, oil and gas, potash, uranium, wood and their spin off industries fuel the economy.{{cite web

|title = Saskatchewan's Economy -

|work = About Saskatchewan/Economy

|publisher = Government of Saskatchewan

|url = http://www.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=8f48fa79-d320-48d8-bc6a-f414d4c59694

|access-date = 2009-01-16

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081219233458/http://www.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=8f48fa79-d320-48d8-bc6a-f414d4c59694

|archive-date = 2008-12-19

}}

Saskatchewan's GDP in 2006 was approximately C$45.922 billion.{{cite web|title=Gross domestic product, expenditure-based, by province and territory |work=Statistics Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |date= 2008-11-06 |url=http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/econ15.htm |access-date=2009-01-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420144936/http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/econ15.htm |archive-date=April 20, 2008 }}

File:Qu'Appelle River, Fort Qu'Appele, circa 1910.jpg|The Qu'Appelle River

File:Saskatchewan River Bridge.jpg|The South Saskatchewan River

File:Saskatchewan basin map.png|The Saskatchewan River drainage basin

File:Lake Athabasca, Canada.jpg|Lake Athabasca

File:Canoeing on Wascana Lake, looking south.jpg|Wascana Lake

File:Empty Wascana Lake before the 1931 deepening.jpg|Aerial view Wascana Lake

File:Parkland near Saskatoon.jpg|Grain field in the aspen parkland near Saskatoon

File:Sask duck.jpg|Saskatchewan wetlands

File:Canada Goose.jpg|Canada goose in the Saskatchewan wetlands

File:Brzoza paierowa Betula papyrifera.jpg|Paper birch, Saskatchewan's provincial tree

File:Larix laricina.jpg|Tamarack larch in fall colors, with black spruce

File:Amelanchier alnifolia.jpg|Saskatoon berry

{{Portal|Geography|Canada}}

• The Saskatchewan Act
• Geography of Canada

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{cite book

|last=Benke

|first=Arthur C.

|author2=Colbert E. Cushing

|title=Rivers of North America: The Natural History

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=faOU1wkiYFIC

|access-date=2009-01-21

|edition=illustrated

|publisher=Academic Press

|isbn= 9780120882533

|page=859

|year=2005

}}

{{Sisterlinks|Geography of Saskatchewan}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20131004030031/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/data/english/maps/reference/outlineprov_terr/sask_outline_names/map.jpg An outline map showing the boundaries and major lakes and rivers for Saskatchewan.] Includes names for major political and geographical features.

{{Saskatchewan}}

{{Canada Geography}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of Saskatchewan}}