Colville Lake, Northwest Territories

Colville Lake K'áhbamį́túé
Settlement Corporation
Colville Lake
Coordinates: 67°02′18″N 126°05′32″W
Country	Canada
Territory	Northwest Territories
Region	Sahtu Region
Constituency	Sahtu
Census division	Region 2
First Nation (Designated Authority)	30 November 1995
Government
• Chief	Alvin Orlias
• Senior Administrative Officer	Joseph Kochon
• MLA	Norman Yakeleya
Area
• Land	128.39 km2 (49.57 sq mi)
Elevation	259 m (850 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	149
• Density	1.2/km2 (3/sq mi)
Time zone	Mountain (MST) (UTC-7)
• Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC-6)
Canadian Postal code	X0E 1L0
Area code(s)	867
Telephone exchange	709
- Living cost	177.5
- Food price index	202.8
Sources: Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Canada Flight Supplement ^A 2009 figure based on Edmonton = 100 ^B 2010 figure based on Yellowknife = 100

Colville Lake (K'áhbamį́túé meaning "ptarmigan net place") is a settlement corporation located in the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The community is located 50 km (31 mi) north of the Arctic Circle, on a lake of the same name, and is northeast of Norman Wells. This settlement is the administrative office of the Behdzi Ahda band government.

Demographics

Population is 149 according to the 2011 Census, an increase of 18.3% over the 2006 Census. In 2012 the Government of the Northwest Territories reported that the population was 157 with an average yearly growth rate of 2.9% from 2001. The GNWT also reported that the majority, 139 people, were Aboriginal, Sahtu Dene. They are represented by the Behdzi Ahda First Nation and belong to the Sahtu Dene Council

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% 1996 89 —     1997 96 +7.9% 1998 96 +0.0% 1999 108 +12.5% 2000 107 −0.9% 2001 114 +6.5% 2002 118 +3.5% 2003 122 +3.4% 2004 126 +3.3%	Year Pop. ±% 2005 126 +0.0% 2006 130 +3.2% 2007 141 +8.5% 2008 147 +4.3% 2009 154 +4.8% 2010 155 +0.6% 2011 152 −1.9% 2012 157 +3.3%
Sources: NWT Bureau of Statistics (2001 - 2012)

Geography and climate

Colville Lake is located 745 km (463 mi) by air northwest of Yellowknife. The terrain is characterized by black spruce and tends to be small and sparse. Other vegetation includes mosses, lichens, grasses and alders. The winter months begin in October and last until April. The month of May is considered the spring or breakup period. By the end of May or Early June the lakes and rivers are normally free of ice, although this varies. June, July and August are considered the summer months and temperatures range in the mid twenties. At times the temperature has climbed into the low thirties. By late September, freeze up is well underway again.

History

The community in autumn

The community of Colville Lake is the ancestral homeland of the Hareskin Dene who still inhabit the area. The Hareskin Dene were never very numerous, with a population of less than one thousand people, living in six or seven bands, at the time of European contact. The Hareskins were a peaceful group, known for their use of small animals such as the Arctic hare. Located within the traditional homeland of the North Slave Dene tribe, Colville Lake is a completely traditional community in every sense. Although Father Émile Petitot brought Christianity to the area in 1864, organization of the community did not occur until 1962 when a Roman Catholic mission was established.

Today

Today you can visit the site of the mission Our Lady of the Snows. One main attraction is a fishing lodge. Colville Lake is home to grayling, trout and pike fish. There is also a small art gallery and museum located next to the lodge. Rounding off the town, there is a Bed and Breakfast and two stores.

See also

• Colville Lake/Tommy Kochon Aerodrome
• Colville Lake Water Aerodrome

External links

• NWT Tourism for Colville Lake