Zelma Reservoir
Reservoir in Saskatchewan, Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zelma Reservoir[1] is a reservoir in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in the Rural Municipality of Morris No. 312. It is about 17 kilometres (11 mi) east-southeast of the town of Colonsay.[2] The reservoir was built in 1967 as part of South Saskatchewan River Project. That project, originating at Gardiner Dam of Lake Diefenbaker, involved the building of aqueducts, canals, and a series of reservoirs to supply water for irrigation, consumption, and industry. Other reservoirs in the system include Broderick Reservoir, Brightwater Reservoir, Indi Lake, Blackstrap Lake, Bradwell Reservoir, and Dellwood Reservoir.[3][4]
| Zelma Reservoir | |
|---|---|
  Zelma Reservoir Location in Saskatchewan  Zelma Reservoir Zelma Reservoir (Canada) | |
| Location | RM of Morris No. 312, Saskatchewan |
| Coordinates | 51.8321°N 105.8373°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Part of | Saskatchewan River drainage basin |
| Primary inflows | Aqueduct originating at Lake Diefenbaker |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Managing agency | Saskatchewan Water Security Agency |
| Built | 1967 |
| First flooded | 1967 |
| Max. width | 1.6 km (1 mi) |
| Surface area | 376.2 ha (930 acres) |
| Max. depth | 6.1 m (20 ft) |
| Water volume | 14,555 dam3 (11,800 acre⋅ft) |
| Shore length1 | 9.94 km (6.18 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 512 m (1,680 ft) |
| Settlements | None |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The BHP potash mine at Jansen gets its water supply from Zelma Reservoir through the Zelma East Non-Potable Water Supply.[5][6]
There are no communities along the reservoir's shores. Besides Colonsay, other nearby communities include Zelma and Young. There is a public boat launch at the north-east corner, near the dam[7] and access is from Highway 763.[8][9][10]
Zelma Dam
Zelma Dam (51.8424°N 105.8516°W), which was built in 1967, contains the reservoir. The dam is 9.1 metres (30 ft) high and the reservoir has a capacity of 14,555 dam3 (11,800 acre⋅ft).[11] The dam and reservoir are owned and operated by the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency.[12]
Fish species
Fish commonly found in Zelma Reservoir include northern pike, yellow perch, and walleye. In 2019, Zelma Reservoir was stocked with 200,000 walleye fry.[13][14]