Spray Lakes Reservoir

Spray Lakes Reservoir is a reservoir in Alberta, Canada. The Spray Lakes were a string of lakes formed along the Spray River, a tributary of the Bow River. With the damming of the river, the lakes were united in the Spray Lakes Reservoir.

Spray Lakes Reservoir
Spray Lake in winter
LocationKananaskis, Alberta
Coordinates50°54′42″N 115°20′22″W
TypeReservoir
Primary inflowsSpray River
Primary outflowsSpray River
Basin countries Canada
Built1950
First flooded1950
Max. length14.8 km (9.2 mi)
Max. width1.7 km (1.1 mi)
Surface area19.9 km2 (7.7 sq mi)
Average depth13.5 m (44 ft)
Max. depth65.4 m (215 ft)
Surface elevation1,701 m (5,581 ft)
ReferencesSpray Lakes Reservoir

It lies between the Goat Range and the Three Sisters ridge, at an elevation of 1,720 meters (5,640 ft). The lake is followed by Highway 742 (Smith Dorrien Trail) in the northern part.

The lake is fed by the following waterways:

  • Bryant Creek
  • Turbulent Creek
  • Currie Creek
  • Watridge Creek
  • Spray River
  • Smuts Creek
  • Spurling Creek

The lake is drained by the Goat Creek, which empties into the Bow River about 25 kilometers (16 mi) to the northwest, at the town of Banff.[1] Part of the water is diverted for hydroelectric purposes[2] from Goat Pond via an open canal and through a canal tunnel into Whiteman's Pond and towards Canmore.[3]

Parks

The lake lies in the recreational area of Kananaskis Country, and defines the eastern edge of Spray Valley Provincial Park. An assortment of recreational areas are established on both shores.

  • Spray Lakes West Provincial Recreation Area
  • Sparrowhawk Provincial Recreation Area
  • Buller Mountain Provincial Recreation Area
  • Mount Shark Trailhead Provincial Recreation Area

The western shore is paralleled by hiking trails, and picnic sites and campgrounds are set up on both sides of the lake.

See also
  • Lakes in Alberta

References
  1. Explorer's Map, Southwest Alberta, Southeast B.C., 1:500000 (5th ed.). Gem Trek Publishing. 2009. ISBN 978-1-895526-45-5.
  2. "TransAlta Rundle Hydroelectric Plant". Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  3. Canmore and Kananaskis Village Map and Trail Guide (6th ed.). Gem Trek Publishing. 2010. ISBN 978-1-895526-47-9.
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