The Saskatchewan Department of Natural Resources stocked the reservoir with pickerel fry every five years for a number of years. Brown trout fry stocking efforts in 1954 and 1955 were not highly successful. Most of the boating activity is for fishing. Very little other recreational use is made of the reservoir, apparently because of the steep rocky shorelines and frequent blue-green algal blooms. A few cottages and boat docks are located on the south arm of the reservoir.
Inadequate habitat limits the reservoirs value as a breeding and moulting area.
The lack of islands makes the reservoir unattractive as a breeding site for colonial nesting birds, however, White Pelicans, gulls, terns and Great Blue Herons use the reservoir during the summer. Shorebirds known or believed to nest in the area are Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Willet and Wilson's Phalarope. The 1957 evaluation recognized the importance of the Sanctuary for fall staging waterfowl and its high recreation potential, and recommended that the Sanctuary be retained. On the basis of the minimal waterfowl production and the minimal use by colonial nesting birds, the 1971 investigation recommended abolishing the Sanctuary despite its value as a fall staging area for waterfowl. The 1972 investigation recommended that the Sanctuary be retained because of its value for staging waterfowl in the drought-prone area of Saskatchewan and its value for public use.