Nettilling Lake

Nettilling Lake (/ˈnɛtʃ.ɪl.ɪŋ/[3]) is a cold freshwater lake located toward the south end of Baffin Island in Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada.[1] It is 31st largest lake in the world by area, and the world's largest lake on an island, with an area of 5,542 square kilometres (2,140 sq mi) and a maximum length of 123 kilometres (76 mi).[4] The lake is in the Great Plain of the Koukdjuak about 280 km northwest of Iqaluit. The Arctic Circle crosses the lake. The lake's name is of Inuktitut origin, coming from the word for the adult ringed seal (netsilak). Franz Boas explored its southern shore in 1884.

Great Koukdjuak Plains and Nettilling Lake (2002)
Nettilling Lake
Nettilling Lake is in the southern part of the island, being the upper of the two visible lakes. The lower lake is Amadjuak Lake.
Nettilling Lake
LocationBaffin Island, Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut Territory
Coordinates66°29′N 70°20′W[1]-
Primary inflowsAmadjuak Lake
Primary outflowsKoukdjuak River
Basin countriesCanada
Max. length123 km (76 mi)
Surface area5,542 km2 (2,140 sq mi)
Max. depth132 m (433 ft)
Surface elevation30 m (98 ft)
References[2]

Nettilling is the largest lake in Nunavut. It is fed by the second largest lake on Baffin Island, Amadjuak Lake; as well as several other smaller lakes and streams. It empties west via the very shallow Koukdjuak River into Foxe Basin. The eastern half has many small islands and the western half is deeper with no islands. The lake is frozen for most of the year. Ringed seals live in the lake and only three species of fish have been recorded there: the Arctic char as well as the ninespine and threespine stickleback. The tundra around the lake and south to Amadjuak Lake is important for barren-ground caribou feeding and calving.

Nettilling Lake is the eleventh largest in Canada, being one of the largest lakes entirely within Canada. It is notable for being the world's largest lake to be in an island rather than a continent.

See also

References
  1. "Nettilling Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
  2. "Principal lakes, elevation and area, by province and territory". Statistics Canada. 2005-02-02. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
  3. "Nettilling Lake". The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia®. Columbia University Press. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  4. The Lake and Island Combination
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