| Zama Lake | |
| Coords: | 58.75°N -124°W |
| Basin Countries: | Canada |
| Length: | 35km (22miles) |
| Width: | 8km (05miles) |
| Area: | 55km2 |
| Elevation: | 320m (1,050feet) |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Alberta |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Zama Lake in Alberta |
Zama Lake is a large lake in Mackenzie County, in north-western Alberta, Canada.
Major Ernest Wilson Hubbell, Chief Inspector of the Dominion Land Survey,[1] recorded the name "Zammah River" in his field notes as the transliteration of the name of a Slavey Chief (Slavey Indians are now known as the Dene Tha' First Nation). The Geographic Board of Canada recorded the name "Zama River" on 4 July 1922 without explanation for the spelling change. The lake seems to be named in the same fashion and was named on 6 November 1944. The Dene Tha' do not use the name "Zama Lake", but use names in the Slavey language to identify the lake; some use K’ah Woti Túé (“Main Blind Lake” referring to a hunting blind) and others use Tulonh Mieh (“Where the Water Ends”).[2]
The lake is located approximately 25km (16miles) northeast of Rainbow Lake and 115km (71miles) west northwest of High Level,[2] at the confluence of Zama River and Hay River. The lake covers 55km2 and forms an intricate river, lakes, and wetland system. The Hay-Zama Lakes complex is a Ramsar site for its importance to spring and fall migrating ducks and geese. As many as 250,000 ducks and geese use the lakes during the fall migration.[3]
A small hamlet, Zama City is located approximately 50km (30miles) north of the lake[4] and the unincorporated community of Chateh in the Hay Lake 209 Indian reserve of the Dene Tha' First Nation is also located south of the lake.[5]