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Big Ass Lake
Lake in Nova Scotia, Canada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Big Ass Lake (/ˈbɪɡ æs leɪk/) is a glacial lake in Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada.[3] It is located 60 km (37 miles) to the northeast of Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia and 253 km (157 miles) from Sydney, Nova Scotia.[1]
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Geography
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The lake measures 555 meters (1,821 ft) across at its widest point, while its longest diagonal length measures approximately 750 m (2,460 ft). Surface area is approximately 150,000 square kilometres (58,000 sq mi).[1] Depth measures about 3 to 8 metres (9.8 to 26.2 ft). The lake has no islands.
Hydrology
It is connected to Gold Lake[3] by a unnamed creek. The lake is surrounded by wooded forest, geological features and wetlands. Lakes nearby include Dreadnought Lake, Little Mud Lake, North Twin Lake and South Twin Lake.[4]
The lake has two arms: one located at the southeastern corner and another oriented toward the east-southeast.[4]
Geology
Big Ass Lake is a glacial lake formed during the last glacial retreat of the Pleistocene epoch. As glaciers receded from the Halifax County region approximately 12,000 years ago, depressions in the bedrock were left behind, which eventually filled with meltwater to form the lake. The surrounding landscape features glacial till, moraines, and erratic boulders, reflecting the lake's glacial origins.[5]
The bedrock in the area primarily consists of granitic and metamorphic rocks typical of Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore, with some localized deposits of quartz and feldspar.[6] Sediment cores from the lake indicate a mixture of clay, silt, and organic material, which provides a record of post-glacial ecological succession.[5][7]
Region
Big Ass Lake is in Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifax county.[3] It is in the Eastern shore, Mooseland region.[8] More precisely, it is in the EL6489 region (Gold Lake region).[9] The EL6489 region includes all of Gold Lake, a majority of Big Ass Lake, and a partition of Little Mud Lake.
Features
Big Ass Lake borders Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness Area, which protects 16,500 hectares (41,000 acres) of rugged woodlands.[10] A nearby hill, Reid Hill, is situated close to the lake.[1][11]
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History
Big Ass Lake and the surrounding area have been part of Mi’kmaq traditional territory for thousands of years,[12][13] and the waterways were historically used for travel, fishing, and seasonal hunting.[14]
The lake was formally named on March 5, 1953.[15]
Routes
Big Ass Lake is accessible via Nova Scotia Route 224, which runs from Shubenacadie to Sheet Harbour. From Elmsvale, the lake can be reached by following Mooseland Road toward the Moose River Gold Mines. Big Ass Lake is also accessible via Nova Scotia Highway 7.[16][17]
Fishing
Fishing at Big Ass Lake is permitted under Nova Scotia's freshwater recreational regulations. A valid provincial fishing licence is required for inland angling. Species typically found in the lakes are trout, salmon, mackerel, perch, and bass can be caught when their respective seasons are open, which in turn allows eel fishing to occur as well. The daily bag limit for eels in inland waters is 10, with a minimum retention size of 35 centimetres (14 in).[18]
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Mining
Moose River Gold Mines
Big Ass Lake lies within Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore gold district. 6.2 km (3.9 mi)[19] inland is the community of Moose River Gold Mines, the site of an 1860s gold rush and a widely reported 1936 Moose River Mine Disaster cave-in that trapped three men underground for 11 days.[20][21]
Scheelite Mine
A scheelite mine is located near Big Ass Lake. It is 6.37 km (3.96 mi) from Big Ass Lake. It operated from 1908 and 1918, and is historically known as mining tungsten. It is right below a lake, named Shea Lake.[22][23]
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Wildlife
Fish in Big Ass Lake include perch, chain pickerel, and northern pike.[24]
Birds around the lake are bank swallow, purple martin, mocking bird, and bohemian waxwing;[25]
Mammals around the lakes are foxes, squirrels, raccoons and lynx.[26]
Trees around the lake include maple, birch, oak, and aspen trees.[27]
Bog Plants include various mosses, cranberries, and liverwort.[27]
Mushrooms around the lake are Lepiota helveola and L. clypeolarioides.[28]
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Temperature
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The average low in spring is 0 °C (32 °F), and the average high is 12 °C (54 °F).[29]
The average low in summer is 7 °C (45 °F), and the summer high is the same as spring.[30]
The average low in fall is 8 °C (46 °F), and the average high is also the same as spring.[31]
The average low in winter is −7 °C (19 °F), and the average high is 8 °C (46 °F).[32]
The temperature is the highest in summer, and lowest in winter.[33]
Weather
The region around Big Ass Lake experiences a mix of sunny and cloudy conditions throughout the year, with frequent rain in summer and snowfall on winter. Fog is also common, and may occur alongside rain or snow.[34] Thunderstorm is a bit more rare, and it might occur alongside rain or snow just like fogs. Hail is a possible occurrence, but rarer than thunderstorms.[35] While hurricanes are highly unlikely to occur in the area, they remain a possible occurrence.[36]
Precipitation
Big Ass Lake receives approximately 1,547 millimetres (60.9 in) of precipitation annually, including both rain and snow.[33] Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with slightly lower amounts in spring and summer, but it is slightly higher in autumn and winter months.[33] Snowfall contributes significantly to the lake's annual balance, affecting the surrounding wetlands. Acid rain has been recorded in parts of Nova Scotia, though it is relatively rare.[37]
Ice cover
Big Ass Lake typically freezes over in late December or January and thaws by late March or April, following typical patterns for small inland lakes in Nova Scotia. However, The thickness of the ice can vary with annual temperature fluctuations.[2]
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See also
References
Further reading
External links
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