Zama Lake

For other uses of this word, see Zama (disambiguation).

Zama Lake is a large lake in Mackenzie County, in north-western Alberta, Canada.

Zama Lake
Zama Lake Location of Zama Lake in Alberta
Location	Mackenzie County, Alberta
Coordinates	58°45′N 119°05′W[1]
Primary outflows	Hay River
Basin countries	Canada
Max. length	35 km (22 mi)
Max. width	8 km (5.0 mi)
Surface area	55 km2 (21 sq mi)
Surface elevation	320 m (1,050 ft)
Settlements	Zama City

Major Ernest Wilson Hubbell, Chief Inspector of the Dominion Land Survey,^[3] recorded the name "Zammah River" in his field notes as the transliteration of the name of a Slavey Chief (Slavey Indians are now known as the Dene Tha' First Nation). The Geographic Board of Canada recorded the name "Zama River" on 4 July 1922 without explanation for the spelling change. The lake seems to be named in the same fashion and was named on 6 November 1944. The Dene Tha' do not use the name "Zama Lake", but use names in the Slavey language to identify the lake; some use K’ah Woti Túé (“Main Blind Lake” referring to a hunting blind) and others use Tulonh Mieh (“Where the Water Ends”).^[4]

The lake is located approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of Rainbow Lake and 115 kilometres (71 mi) west northwest of High Level,^[4] at the confluence of Zama River and Hay River. The lake covers 55 km² (21 sq mi) and forms an intricate river, lakes, and wetland system. The Hay-Zama Lakes complex is a Ramsar site for its importance to spring and fall migrating ducks and geese. As many as 250,000 ducks and geese use the lakes during the fall migration.^[5]

A small hamlet, Zama City is located approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of the lake^[6] and the unincorporated community of Chateh in the Hay Lake 209 Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation is also located south of the lake.^[7]

References

1. "Zama Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
2. "Zama Lake". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
3. Greene, B.M. (1912). "Hubbell, Major Ernest Wilson". Who's Who and Why. Ottawa: International Press. p. 1213.
4. Kelland, Ron (21 August 2012). "Zama". RETROactive. Historic Resources Management Branch of Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women.
5. "Hay-Zama Lakes - Ramsar Site". Environment Canada. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
6. Zama City.ca
7. "First Nation Detail". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. 9 April 2019.