Lake Diefenbaker
| Lake Diefenbaker | |
|---|---|
NASA satellite image of Lake Diefenbaker | |
| Location | Saskatchewan |
| Coordinates | 51°01′53″N 106°50′09″W / 51.03139°N 106.83583°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Part of | Nelson River drainage basin |
| Primary inflows | South Saskatchewan River |
| River sources | Rocky Mountains |
| Primary outflows |
|
| Catchment area | 135,500 km2 (52,300 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 225 km (140 mi) |
| Max. width | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
| Surface area | 430 km2 (170 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 21.6 m (71 ft) |
| Max. depth | 66 m (217 ft) |
| Water volume | 9.4 km3 (7,600,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Residence time | 2.5 years |
| Shore length1 | 800 km (500 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 556.8 m (1,827 ft) above sea level (full supply level) |
| Settlements | |
| References | |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Diefenbaker is a reservoir and bifurcation lake in the southern part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was formed by the construction of the Gardiner Dam and the Qu'Appelle River Dam across the South Saskatchewan and Qu'Appelle Rivers respectively. Construction began in 1959 and the lake was filled in 1967. Lake Diefenbaker is the largest body of water in southern Saskatchewan, although Last Mountain Lake is the largest naturally occurring one. The lake was named after John G. Diefenbaker, a former Prime Minister of Canada.
Lake Diefenbaker provides water for domestic irrigation, drinking, and industrial uses. An extensive aqueduct (canal) system was built from the Gardiner Dam called the South Saskatchewan River Project. From the east-side of Gardiner Dam, the aqueduct system heads in a generally north-easterly direction ending at Dellwood Reservoir north-east of Little Manitou Lake in the RM of Usborne No. 310. Reservoirs along the course of the canal include Broderick Reservoir, Brightwater Reservoir, Indi Lake, Blackstrap Lake, Bradwell Reservoir, and Zelma Reservoir.
Along the lake's shores, there are several parks, protected areas, and communities.