Blackstrap Lake

Blackstrap Lake is a man-made reservoir located 41km SSE of Saskatoon. The lake is in the RM of Dundurn No. 314 east of Dundurn in southern Saskatchewan.

The lake is a popular recreational destination for fishing, boating, and camping. It is also used for irrigation and as a municipal and industrial water source.

There are two communities on the western side of the lake; Thode and Shields. There are residential subdivisions at Skyview Estates and Lakeside Golf Resort.

Blackstrap Provincial Park is on the eastern side of the lake. The park has campgrounds, a boat launch, a beach and trails. A recreation area was established shortly after the lake was formed. A ski hill (now closed) was added for the 1971 Canada Winter Games. The provincial park itself was opened in 1986.

There is an important IBA (Important Bird Areas) in the Blackstrap Coulee. The IBA contains both Blackstrap and Indi Lake. 239 different species have been recorded. Both lakes are important for many different species.

History

There were two small marshy lakes (Theresa Lake and Blackstrap Lake) in the area of the current lake. The current lake formed when two dams were built in 1967. The dams are operated by the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency.

The canal that feeds Blackstrap Lake starts at Gardiner Dam on Lake Diefenbaker. From there it flows through Broderick Reservoir, and Brightwater Reservoir. Then bypasses Indi Lake and flows under Highway 11 and into Blackstrap Lake.