Lake Winnipegosis
Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use Canadian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox body of water Lake Winnipegosis is a large (5,370 km2) lake in central North America, in Manitoba, Canada, some 300 km northwest of Winnipeg. It is Canada's eleventh-largest lake.
The lake's name derives from that of Lake Winnipeg, with a diminutive suffix. Winnipeg means 'big muddy waters' and Winnipegosis means 'little muddy waters'.,<ref name="Canadian Encyclopedia"/> both characterized by coastal wetlands.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
It appears as Winipgassish on the Fidler map of 1820, while modern spelling dates from as early as 1811.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Geography
The elongated 195-kilometre-long lake is the second-largest of three large lakes in central Manitoba; the other two are Lake Winnipeg, the largest, and Lake Manitoba. All three lakes are on the floor of the prehistoric glacial Lake Agassiz (as are nearby Cedar Lake and the Lake of the Woods). The lake's watershed extends over some 49,825 km2 in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It receives most of its waters from the Manitoba Escarpment.<ref name="Canadian Encyclopedia"/>
Lake Winnipegosis is separated from Cedar Lake by a 6 km (3.7 miles) wide (minimum width) land barrier at the north end and from Lake Manitoba by a 3 km (1.9 miles) wide (minimum width) land barrier at the southeast end at Meadow Portage.<ref name="Distance Calculator"/>
Birch Island is the largest island on Lake Winnipegosis. The island, located near the middle of the lake, is part of Birch Island Provincial Park, created in 2010, and is adjacent to the Chitek Lake Park Reserve on the eastern shore.<ref name="Birch Island Park">Template:Cite web</ref>
Outflows
The lake drains through the Waterhen River into Lake Manitoba, and is thus part of the Lake Winnipeg, Nelson River, and Hudson Bay watersheds. From Long Island Bay at the southeast end of the lake the West Waterhen and Little Waterhen rivers flow north about 16 km (10 miles) into Waterhen Lake then the Waterhen River flows south 22 km (13.5 miles) into Lake Manitoba.<ref name="Distance Calculator">Template:Cite web</ref>
Tributaries
Tributaries include the Mossey River (from Dauphin Lake), Point River, Pine River, North Duck River, Pelican River (from Pelican Lake), Shoal River (from Swan Lake), Steeprock River, Red Deer River, and the Overflowing River.<ref name="Natural Resources Canada map">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name= "Atlas of Canada">Template:Cite web</ref>
Communities
The communities of Winnipegosis, Camperville, Pine Creek, Duck Bay, Salt Point and Meadow Portage are south of Birch Island while Shoal River, Pelican Rapids, Dawson Bay and Denbeigh Point are to the north of the island.<ref name="Natural Resources Canada map"/>
Fisheries
The lake is classified as a multi-use fishery which supports Indigenous domestic harvest, commercial fishery of walleye and other freshwater species,<ref>Government of Manitoba. (n.d.). Lake Winnipegosis management plan [PDF]. Government of Manitoba. Retrieved May 7, 2025, from https://www.gov.mb.ca/nrnd/fish-wildlife/pubs/fish_wildlife/fish/lake_winnipegosis_management_plan.pdf</ref> and recreational angling.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Northern pike and mullet together now account for over 80 percent of its commercial fishing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>