Theodore Reservoir is a man-made reservoir along the course of the Whitesand River in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The lake was formed with the building of Theodore Dam in 1964. The reservoir and dam were named after the nearby community of Theodore.[1] Whitesand River is the primary inflow and outflow for the reservoir. Lawrie Creek, which begins in the Beaver Hills, flows into the lake on the western side near the dam.
| Theodore Reservoir | |
|---|---|
  Theodore Reservoir Location in Saskatchewan  Theodore Reservoir Theodore Reservoir (Canada) | |
| Location | RM of Insinger No. 275, RM of Good Lake No. 274 in Saskatchewan |
| Coordinates | 51°27′26″N 102°51′05″W / 51.4571°N 102.8514°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Whitesand River |
| Primary outflows | Whitesand River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Managing agency | Saskatchewan Water Security Agency |
| Built | 1964 |
| First flooded | 1964 |
| Surface area | 298.4 ha (737 acres) |
| Max. depth | 9.2 m (30 ft) |
| Water volume | 14,802 dam3 (12,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Shore length1 | 24.9 km (15.5 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 471 m (1,545 ft) |
| Settlements | None |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
While there are no communities on the lake's shore, there is a regional park and a Bible camp on the western side.[2] The lake is accessed from Highways 651 and 726 and nearby communities include Springside and Good Spirit Acres. Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park is 19 kilometres (12 mi) to the east.
Theodore Dam
editTheodore Dam (51°26′33″N 102°50′18″W / 51.4426°N 102.8382°W) was built in 1964 along the course of the Whitesand River to create Theodore Reservoir. The dam is 14.6 metres (48 ft) high and the reservoir impounds 14,802 dam3 (12,000 acre⋅ft) of water.[3] The outflow from the lake is at the southern end of the dam. In 2024, the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency began improvements to the dam that included the control gates being replaced and upgrades to the spillways.[4]
Access to the dam is from Highway 726 and there is a boat launch at the northern end of the dam.[5]
Whitesand Regional Park
editWhitesand Regional Park (51°29′25″N 102°53′40″W / 51.4904°N 102.8944°W)[6] is a regional park on the western shore of Theodore Reservoir. The park is accessed from Highway 651, which runs north from Theodore and the Yellowhead Highway.[7][8]
The Whitesand Regional Park first opened on 4 May 1965. Since then, through regular expansion and investment, upgrades such as a picnic area, golf course, campground, boat launches, mini-golf, modern washroom and shower facilities, and a children's playground were added. The campground is made up of 30 electrified sites with access to potable water.[9] Whitesand Regional Park Golf course is a sand greens, 9-hole course that originally opened in 1969.[10]
Fish species
editFish commonly found in the lake include northern pike, walleye, and perch. The lake is frequently stocked and was last stocked with 400,000 walleye fry in 2023.[11][12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Whitesand Dam (Theodore) Fishing Map". Gps Nautical charts. Bist LLC. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Camp Whitesand". Camp Whitesand. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Dams and Reservoirs". wsask. Water Security Agency. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Sask. Water Security Agency spends $18M on infrastructure projects". CKOM News. Rawlco Radio Ltd. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Theodore Dam". Village of Theodore. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Whitesand Regional Park". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Whitesand Regional Park". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Whitesand River - Whitesand Lake". BRMB. Mussio Ventures Ltd. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Whitesand". Regional parks of Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Regional Parks. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Whitesand Regional Park Golf Course, Theodore, Sk". Golf link. LoveToKnow Corp. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ Daniels, Calvin (6 July 2012). "Hungry pike lurk at Theodore Dam". SaskToday. No. Week III. Glacier Media Group. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Explore Theodore Reservoir - Sask Lakes". sasklakes.ca. Retrieved 22 November 2023.