lake, Thunder Bay district, west-central Ontario, Canada. Lake Nipigon lies 80 miles (130 km) northeast of Thunder Bay. It is about 70 miles (110 km) long and 50 miles (80 km) wide and has an area of 1,872 square miles (4,848 square km). The lake lies at an elevation of 1,050 feet (320 m) and has maximum depths of 540 feet (165 m). Its Indian name means “deep, clear water.” The lake is studded with numerous islands, and promontories and large bays characterize its shoreline. The lake is drained southward into Lake Superior by the Nipigon River, which drops 250 feet (76 m) in its 30-mile (48-kilometre) course to Nipigon Bay. A hydroelectric development provides power for mining and for the entire lakehead region.