Rock Trumpet – Mandevilla

Sambaa K’e (SALM-bah-kay;^[3] South Slavey, place of trout^[4]) is a lake in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories of Canada. The only settlement on its shores shares the same name; both were officially known as Trout Lake until 2016, when their names were changed to reflect local usage.^[4]

Sambaa K’e lies at an elevation of 503 metres (1,650 ft)^[2] and is 103 kilometres (64 mi) long and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) wide,^[1] covering an area of 513 square kilometres (198 sq mi).^[2] It drains an area of 5,694 square kilometres (2,198 sq mi); major rivers that enter the lake include Paradise River East from the east, Island River from the south (next to the settlement), and Moose River from the north. Trout River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River, exits the lake from the northeast.^[1]

Drinking water for the community of Sambaa K’e comes from the local water treatment facility, which draws water from the lake.^[1] Known sources of lake water contamination include the local sewage lagoon, hazardous waste from a World War II-era U.S. Air Force outpost on the lake, and diesel leakage from the local power station.^[5]

Fishing for lake trout, walleye, northern pike and Arctic grayling draws tourists to the lake.^[6][7] The local people also rely on the lake environment to support the hunting, trapping and fishing activities that comprise a major part of their livelihood. Common traditional food sources include moose, woodland caribou, grouse, porcupine, beaver, trout, pickerel, duck, and various berries.^[5] A proposal to create a 10,600-square-kilometre (4,100 sq mi) protected area including the Sambaa K’e watershed is currently under study.^[3][8]