Porter Lake (Saskatchewan)
Porter Lake is a shallow salt lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is located in the Rural Municipality of Aberdeen No. 373, about north-east of Saskatoon. There are no communities along the lake's shore. Access is from Ike Thiessen Road, which connects to Highways 5 and 41. The lake and the surrounding landscape is designated as an Important Bird Area of Canada.
Description
Porter Lake is a salt lake that, during drought years, dries up. The lake water levels depend on spring run off, seasonal rains, and intermittent creeks. It has no outflow as it is endorheic.A total of of the lake and surrounding land is covered by the Porter Lake Important Bird Area. Extensive mudflats line the lake's shore, which makes an excellent habitat for shore birds, especially the Hudsonian godwit. Other birds found at the lake include the black-crowned night heron, double-crested cormorant, and the bank swallow. The IBA site covers all of Porter Lake and the northern half of Burke Lake. Driving tours of the IBA are available for birdwatchers.