Abraham Lake

Abraham Lake
Lake on the North Saskatchewan River
Location	Clearwater County, Alberta
Coordinates	52°13′25″N 116°25′38″W / 52.22361°N 116.42722°W / 52.22361; -116.42722Coordinates: 52°13′25″N 116°25′38″W / 52.22361°N 116.42722°W / 52.22361; -116.42722
Type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	North Saskatchewan River
Primary outflows	North Saskatchewan River
Basin countries	Canada
Max. length	32 km (20 mi)
Max. width	3.3 km (2.1 mi)
Surface area	53.7 km2 (20.7 sq mi)
Surface elevation	1,340 m (4,400 ft)

Abraham Lake is an artificial lake on North Saskatchewan River in western Alberta, Canada. Abraham Lake has a surface area of 53.7 km² (20.7 sq mi) and a length of 32 km (20 mi).

Abraham Lake

History

It was built on the upper course of the North Saskatchewan River, in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. It lines David Thompson Highway between Saskatchewan River Crossing and Nordegg.

Abraham Lake was created in 1972, with the construction of the Bighorn Dam. The Government of Alberta sponsored a contest to name the lake in February 1972, during the final stages of construction of the Bighorn dam. Students across the province were asked to submit names taking into consideration "historical significance, prominent persons, geography and topography, and the value of the lake."^[1] It was named for Silas Abraham, an inhabitant of the Saskatchewan River valley in the nineteenth century.^[2]

Although man-made, the lake has the blue color of other glacial lakes in the Rocky Mountains, which is caused by rock flour as in other glacial lakes.

The Cline River Heliport is located on the western shore of the lake.

Abraham Lake

Phenomenon

Pictures of Abraham lake in the winter have gotten quite popular among internet users.^[3] This is due to a natural phenomenon that creates "frozen bubbles" under the ice. The plants on the lake bed release methane gas, which gets frozen once coming close enough to the much colder lake surface. They then stack up below once the weather gets colder during the winter season. Abraham lake has become a popular destination for photographers because of this. ^[4]

See also

• Lakes of Alberta

References

Hydrography of Alberta Rivers Athabasca Battle Beaver Bow Brazeau Crowsnest Elbow Hay Little Bow Milk North Saskatchewan Oldman Peace Pembina Red Deer Slave Smoky South Saskatchewan Waterfalls Athabasca Bow Bridal Veil Crescent Crypt Elbow Panther Sunwapta Lakes Athabasca Beaverhill Bistcho Claire Cold La Biche Lesser Slave Pigeon Ste. Anne Sylvan Utikuma Wabamun Reservoirs Abraham Barrier Brazeau Chestermere Kananaskis McGregor Minnewanka Glenmore Milk River Ridge Sikome Gleniffer Glaciers Athabasca Bow Columbia Icefield Crowfoot Hector Peyto Saskatchewan Vulture Wapta Waputik Icefield Other Hay-Zama Wetlands Peace–Athabasca Delta Whooping Crane Summer Range (wetlands)