The west shore is not as steep and has fewer rocky areas. There are no islands in the lake. For the most part the lake is open water which is quite turbid. Blue-green algae blooms occur infrequently. Small scattered patches of bulrush and sedge are found on the west shore.
Uplands surrounding the lake are grassland, used for pasture and hay, and cropland.
Gravel pits are located near the southeast side of the lake. Ten public roads provide access to the lake. The Sanctuary provides good waterfowl hunting on stubble fields adjacent to the lake. Both resident and non-resident hunters are attracted to the area by the large numbers of fall staging geese. Although the Saskatchewan Department of Natural Resources stocked the lake with yellow perch in 1952 and 1953, and pickerel in 1968, angling has not been very successful, presumably because of lower water levels and increased salinity.