Elkwater, Alberta
Elkwater | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 1 |
| Municipal district | Cypress County |
| Elevation | 1,234 m (4,049 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 60 |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| Highway | Highway 41 |
| Waterway | Elkwater Lake |
Elkwater is an unincorporated community at the western edge of the Cypress Hills in southeastern Alberta, Canada, 65 kilometres (40 mi) southeast of Medicine Hat. The main access route is via Alberta Highway 41 (Buffalo Trail), which leads south from the Trans Canada Highway.
The former hamlet is located within Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park on the south edge of Elkwater Lake, and consists mostly of a collection of cabins. The name "Elkwater" is translated from Blackfoot.[2]
Geography
During the last ice age the Cypress Hills were not covered with ice because they were high enough to rise above the surrounding flatlands. As a result it has rare soils found on the upper plateau area which is the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador. The Elkwater townsite is elevated at 1234m, the same altitude as Banff, resulting in much similar flora and fauna. Thick pine and spruce forests cover the hills.
Animals found there include white-tailed deer, coyote, elk, wild turkey, cougar and moose. Moose and wild turkeys are not native to the Cypress Hills, but were introduced.
Demographics
Cypress County indicates that the population of Elkwater was 60 in the 2011 Census.[1]
As a designated place in the 2011 Census, Elkwater had a population of 50 living in 29 of its 262 total dwellings, a -53.3% change from its 2006 population of 107. With a land area of 2.71 km2 (1.05 sq mi), it had a population density of 18.5/km2 (48/sq mi) in 2011.[3]
Administration
Since the Elkwater townsite is in a provincial park, it is administered by the provincial government. Residents can never own the land on which their cottages or homes are built. Leases must be negotiated with the provincial government.
Accommodation
Elkwater has one hotel, the Elkwater Lake Lodge & Resort, which features condos, cabins, and suites.
There are 7 campgrounds near the townsite with approximately 450 campsites. They are:
- Elkwater (Main)
- Lakeview
- Old Baldy
- Beaver Creek (Closed for renovations in Summer 2013)
- Ferguson Hill
- Lodgepole
- Firerock
To the east of Elkwater, camping can be found at Spruce Coulee and Reesor Lake. Closer to the Saskatchewan border, Battle Creek and Upper Graburn campgrounds are found. A number of group camp sites may also be rented.
Elkwater also has bed-and-breakfast and accommodation at the Bar-Zee Bed & Breakfast, located just north of the park.
Other services and facilities
Services and facilities include a convenience store, gas station, cafe, restaurant, visitor centre, ski hill, 9-hole golf course and a marina. Park administration offices for the Alberta section of the park are also located here.
Climate
Elkwater experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc) that falls just short of the boundary with the humid continental climate zone (Köppen Dfb). Winters are long and cold, while summers are short and warm. Precipitation is moderate, with an annual average of 529mm.
| Climate data for Elkwater | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 5.7 (42.3) |
8.6 (47.5) |
16.1 (61.0) |
19.2 (66.6) |
28 (82) |
30 (86) |
31.9 (89.4) |
31 (88) |
30.1 (86.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
17.5 (63.5) |
13.1 (55.6) |
31.9 (89.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −4.5 (23.9) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
2.5 (36.5) |
7.7 (45.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
16.9 (62.4) |
20 (68) |
19.9 (67.8) |
15.1 (59.2) |
10 (50) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−2 (28) |
8.3 (46.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −9 (16) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
2.6 (36.7) |
8.1 (46.6) |
11.7 (53.1) |
14.7 (58.5) |
14.4 (57.9) |
9.8 (49.6) |
5.1 (41.2) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
3.6 (38.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −13.5 (7.7) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
3 (37) |
6.4 (43.5) |
9.4 (48.9) |
8.8 (47.8) |
4.6 (40.3) |
0.1 (32.2) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
−1.1 (29.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −26.9 (−16.4) |
−20.8 (−5.4) |
−18.8 (−1.8) |
−14.7 (5.5) |
−9 (16) |
−5 (23) |
−1 (30) |
−4 (25) |
−10 (14) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
−16.4 (2.5) |
−32.1 (−25.8) |
−32.1 (−25.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 33 (1.3) |
6 (0.2) |
23 (0.9) |
44 (1.7) |
81 (3.2) |
110 (4.3) |
70 (2.8) |
52 (2.0) |
32 (1.3) |
18 (0.7) |
21 (0.8) |
40 (1.6) |
529 (20.8) |
| Source: The Weather Network[4] | |||||||||||||
See also
References
- ^ a b "The Present: A Cypress County Snapshot". Cypress County. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
- ^ Cypress Hills (Alberta) Historical Society (1991). Cypress Hills country. Elkwater, Alberta: Cypress Hills (Alberta) Historical Society. p. 137. ISBN 0-88925-918-6.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2011 and 2006 censuses (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
- ^ The Weather Network—Statistics: Elkwater, Alberta. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
Places adjacent to Elkwater, Alberta | |
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