{{Short description|Lake in Saskatchewan, Canada}} {{Use Canadian English|date=November 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}}
{{Infobox body of water | name = Willow Bunch Lake | other_name = | image = The Willow Bunch Lake.jpg | caption = Willow Bunch Lake | image_size = 255 | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = RM of Willow Bunch No. 42 and RM of Excel No. 71, {{flag|Saskatchewan}} | pushpin_map = Saskatchewan#Canada | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Saskatchewan | coords = {{coord|49.4582|-105.5901|region:CA-SK_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | type = Salt lake | part_of = Missouri River drainage basin | inflow = | outflow = | catchment = | basin_countries = {{flag|Canada}} | length = {{cvt|30|km}} | width = {{cvt|2|km}} | area = {{cvt|3287.9|ha}} | depth = | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = {{cvt|662|m}} | islands = | cities = ''None'' }}
'''Willow Bunch Lake'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Willow Bunch Lake |url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HANJC|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref> is a salt lake in the southern region of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The lake is in the Big Muddy Valley in a semi-arid region called Palliser's Triangle. There are no communities nor public facilities at the lake. The nearest town is Willow Bunch at {{convert|8|km}} to the south and access is from Highway 36.<ref>{{cite web |title=Willow Bunch Lake, Saskatchewan Map |url=https://www.geodata.us/canada_names_maps/maps.php?featureid=HANJC&f=253 |website=Geodata.us |publisher=Geodata.us |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref> The entire lake and its shoreline has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada.
== Description == thumb|left|200px|Salt flats of Willow Bunch Lake Willow Bunch Lake is shallow salt lake with a surface area of about {{convert|3287.9|ha}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Willow Bunch Lake |url=https://www.anglersatlas.com/place/111989/willow-bunch-lake |website=Angler's Atlas |publisher=Angler's Atlas |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref> It sits in the Big Muddy Valley, which was formed over 12,000 years ago near the end of the last ice age when a glacial lake outburst flood occurred from a pre-historic glacial lake located at present-day Old Wives Lake.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harel |first1=Claude-Jean |title=Big Muddy Valley |url=https://esask.uregina.ca/entry/big_muddy_valley.jsp |website=The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan |publisher=University of Regina |access-date=22 November 2022 |archive-date=29 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329200107/https://esask.uregina.ca/entry/big_muddy_valley.jsp |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the summer, extensive mudflats develop at the east and west ends of the lake providing habitat for a variety of species, including the piping plover.
== Important Bird Area == The entirety of Willow Bunch Lake is part of the '''Willow Bunch Lake (SK 020)''' Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |title=Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas |url=https://www.naturesask.ca/what-we-do/important-bird-areas |website=Nature Saskatchewan |publisher=Nature Saskatchewan |access-date=22 November 2022 |archive-date=8 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208201359/https://www.naturesask.ca/what-we-do/important-bird-areas |url-status=dead }}</ref> The IBA, which totals {{cvt|152.14|km2}}, is important to the piping plover as it has one of the three largest breeding concentrations on the Canadian Prairies. The other two areas are Chaplin Lake (SK 033) and Quill Lakes SK 002. The provincial Wildlife Habitat Protection Act designated the entire Willow Bunch Lake basin as a critical piping plover habitat and the lake's shoreline up to the high water mark is protected from development. The population and breeding success of the piping plover depends largely on lake water levels. Being in a semi-arid landscape with no major inflows, Willow Bunch Lake is subject to widely fluctuating water levels and this becomes one of the main threats to the long-term success of the birds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Willow Bunch Lake Willowbunch, Saskatchewan |url=https://www.ibacanada.org/site.jsp?siteID=SK020&lang=en |website=IBA Canada |publisher=Birds Canada |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref>
== See also == *List of lakes of Saskatchewan *List of protected areas of Saskatchewan
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category-inline}}
{{Canada topic|List of lakes of}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Lakes of Saskatchewan Category:Rural Municipality of Excel No. 71 Category:Rural Municipality of Willow Bunch No. 42 Category:Important Bird Areas of Saskatchewan Category:Saline lakes of Canada