Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba
Published: October 30, 2007, 4:56 pm
Updated: October 30, 2007, 4:56 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Mark McGinley Physical Attributes
- Altitude: 217 m above sea level
- Surface Area: 23,750 sq.km
- Mean Depth: 12 m
- Maximum depth: 36 m
- Volume: 284 cu. km
- Shoreline Length: 1,750 km
- Drainage Basin: 953,250 sq km
General Description
Lake Winnipeg is located on the northern boundaries of the Canadian prairies. Lakes Winnipeg, Winnipegosis and Manitoba represent the substantial residues of the once immense glacial Lake Agassiz. Lake Winnipeg is characterized by a wide northern basin and a narrow southern basin. Its main source of water is the sediment laden Red River, which enters its southern basin. The Nelson River, which carries water from the north basin, is the only outflow from the lake and eventually empties into Hudson Bay. The high turbidity of the lake is due to the resuspension of sediments due to its shallow waters, which are easily mixed by wind and waves. Lake Winnipeg is mostly used by humans for recreational purposes.
Watershed
The drainage basin of Lake Winnipeg is characterized by wheat fields and grasslands. Woodlands of elm, ash, basswood, maple and aspen are found in the immediate vicinity of the lake. Since the soils of the region are phosphorus rich, lake eutrophication is a natural event. This process, however, is accelerated by sewage treatment effluents as well as agricultural runoff. The City of Winnipeg, located on the inflowing Red River, has particularly contributed to the nutrient loading of the lake.
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Citation
Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Paul D. N. Hebert (Lead Author);Mark McGinley (Topic Editor) "Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth October 30, 2007; Last revised Date October 30, 2007; Retrieved May 25, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Lake_Winnipeg,_Manitoba>
The Authors
The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) is an interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to improving the understanding of biodiversity at all scales, from the genetic to the macroecological. Based at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, BIO is host to more than 30 university faculty and their research groups representing a wide range of biological expertise. BIO also includes specialized support staff and unique research and outreach capabilities designed to foster both academi ... (Full Bio)
After receiving his Ph.D. in genetics at Cambridge University in 1972, Paul Hebert took up a Rutherford Fellowship at the University of Sydney. He returned to Canada in 1976, accepting a position at the University of Windsor where he was a professor in Biological Sciences and Director of the Great Lakes Institute. He moved to the University of Guelph in 1990 as Chair of the Department of Zoology. He has been a visiting professor at the Australian National University, the Czech Academy of Scienc ... (Full Bio)
Physical Attributes
- Altitude: 217 m above sea level
- Surface Area: 23,750 sq.km
- Mean Depth: 12 m
- Maximum depth: 36 m
- Volume: 284 cu. km
- Shoreline Length: 1,750 km
- Drainage Basin: 953,250 sq km
General Description
Lake Winnipeg is located on the northern boundaries of the Canadian prairies. Lakes Winnipeg, Winnipegosis and Manitoba represent the substantial residues of the once immense glacial Lake Agassiz. Lake Winnipeg is characterized by a wide northern basin and a narrow southern basin. Its main source of water is the sediment laden Red River, which enters its southern basin. The Nelson River, which carries water from the north basin, is the only outflow from the lake and eventually empties into Hudson Bay. The high turbidity of the lake is due to the resuspension of sediments due to its shallow waters, which are easily mixed by wind and waves. Lake Winnipeg is mostly used by humans for recreational purposes.
Watershed
The drainage basin of Lake Winnipeg is characterized by wheat fields and grasslands. Woodlands of elm, ash, basswood, maple and aspen are found in the immediate vicinity of the lake. Since the soils of the region are phosphorus rich, lake eutrophication is a natural event. This process, however, is accelerated by sewage treatment effluents as well as agricultural runoff. The City of Winnipeg, located on the inflowing Red River, has particularly contributed to the nutrient loading of the lake.
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(Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
Old beach ridges found along the north shore of Lake Winnipeg, near Limestone Bay.(Source: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario)
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