Ferguson Lake (Kitikmeot Region)

Infobox_lake
lake_name = Ferguson Lake
image_lake =
caption_lake =
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caption_bathymetry =
location = southern Victoria Island, Kitikmeot, Nunavut
coords =
type =
inflow =
outflow =Ekalluk River
catchment =
basin_countries = Canada
length =
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area = 562 km²
depth =
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residence_time =
shore =
elevation = 11 m
islands = 8 km x 4 km
cities = Cambridge Bay, 50 km south

Ferguson Lake ("Tahiryuaq" or "Tahikyoak"] ) is located on southern Victoria Island in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, in northern Canada. It drains westward into the Ekalluk River ("Iqaluktuuq", "place of big fish"), 5 miles (3 km) from the northeastern side of Wellington Bay ("Ekaloktok"), on Dease Strait, Arctic Ocean [cite book |url=http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:OOzVQ4jvQV0J:www.kitikmeotheritage.ca/research/Iqaluktuurmiutat.pdf+Iqaluktuuq+ferguson&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us |title=Life at Iqaluktuuq |last=Keith |first=Darren |date=n.d. |publisher=Artisan Press Ltd. |location=Yellowknife, NWT |edition=kitikmeotheritage.ca |accessdate=2008-01-24] Ferguson Lake is the namesake of Constable Ferguson, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police member. [cite news |url=http://www.nnsl.com/northern-news-services/stories/papers/aug20_07cambayteatalk.html |title=Traditional names still remain |last=Tologanak |first=Navalik |date=2007-08-20 |publisher=Northern News Services Online |accessdate=2008-01-24]

Ferguson Lake has been characterized as "polar semi-desert". Its fauna includes willow-sedge meadows, Dryas uplands, and raised beaches. The narrow land area between Wellington Bay and Ferguson Lake funnels migrating Dolphin and Union caribou herd, making them easy prey for Inuit hunters. Muskox, Arctic hare, and ptarmigan also inhabit the area. [cite journal |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic49-4-387.pdf |title=Comparative Winter Habitat Use and Associations among Herbivores in the High Arctic |last=Schaefer |first=James A. |coauthors=Scott D. Stevens & François Messier |journal=Arctic |volume=49 |issue=4 |pages=387–391 |date=December 1996 |publisher=ucalgary.ca |accessdate=2008-01-24] The lake itself contains Arctic char ("iqalukpiit") and lake trout ("ihuurayuit"). These were the principle food sources for Copper Inuit who were predated by people of the Dorset culture through Thule culture as evidenced by Canadian Arctic archaeological sites on the banks of the lake, its river, and about 1 km north on the bay (Cadfael site). [cite journal |url=http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic45-2-138.pdf |title=Anvil Boulders and Lithic Reduction on Southern Victoria Island, Northwest Territories |last=Brink |first=Jack |date=June 1992 |journal=Arctic |volume=45 |issue=2 |pages=138–144 |publisher=ucalgary.ca |accessdate=2008-01-24]

References

External links

* [http://www.kitikmeotheritage.ca/research/Iqaluktuurmiutat.pdf Photo]