Grand Lake (Newfoundland and Labrador)

Grand Lake is a large lake in the interior of the island of Newfoundland, in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It has an area of 543 km2 (210 sq mi) (including Glover Island), making it the largest lake on Newfoundland. Contained within the lake is the 18th largest lake-island in the world, Glover Island.

Grand Lake
Grand Lake
Location in Newfoundland
LocationNewfoundland, Canada
Coordinates48°54′43″N 57°30′05″W
TypeNatural Lake, Reservoir
Native nameWli'Qospem[1] (Mi'kmaq)
Primary inflowsSandy Lake, Hinds Brook, Red Indian Brook, Lewaseechjeech Brook
Primary outflowsHumber Canal (Man Made), Junction Brook (Dammed)
Catchment area5,030 km2 (1,940 sq mi)
Basin countriesCanada
Max. length100 km (62 mi)
Max. width10 km (6.2 mi)
Surface area543 km2 (210 sq mi)
Max. depthca. 300 m (980 ft) [2]
Shore length1283 km (176 mi)
Surface elevation87 m (285 ft)
IslandsGlover Island
SettlementsHowley, NL
References[3][4]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

History

The lake was flooded in 1924 with the construction of the Main Dam on Junction Brook, adding approximately 11 meters to the original lake depth.[5] This elevation increase combined Grand Lake with Sandy Lake and Birchy Lake. With this, the lake also engulfed several smaller interconnected ponds and rivers such as Sandy Lake River (Main Brook).

Geography

Today, the lake's surface elevation varies between 84 and 87.7 meters; it is highest immediately following snow melt in the spring and lowest just before the spring melt begins.[6] It is located on the west side of the Newfoundland, 24 km southeast of the city of Corner Brook. Fed by numerous small streams and brooks, it drains into Deer Lake via the 12 km long Humber Canal, and then via the Humber River, into the Bay of Islands. The lake contains the uninhabited Glover Island (178 km2). Together with its feeder lakes, Sandy and Birchy, Grand Lake forms a waterway much used by recreational boaters.

Usage

The lake serves as a reservoir for the hydro-electric generating station at Deer Lake, which was constructed to provide electricity to the pulp and paper mill at Corner Brook.

See also

References
  1. http://qalipu.ca/qalipu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Ktaqmkuk%20Handbook.pdf
  2. Grand Lake, on thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
  3. Atlas of Canada. "Rivers in Canada". Archived from the original on 10 April 2007. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  4. "World Lake Database (Lakes in Canada)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
  5. Reminiscences Of Forty-Two Years Of Exploration In And About Newfoundland, James Howley. Memorial University, 2009. Retrieved on 2015-09-01.
  6. "Municipal Affairs and Environment - Station 02YK010". Government of Newfoundland & Labrador. 2017-05-24.


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