It has an area of 543 km2 (210 sq mi), making it the largest lake on Newfoundland.

Contained within the lake is the 18th largest lake-island in the world, Glover Island.

[7] It is located on the west side of Newfoundland, 24 km southeast of the city of Corner Brook.

Fed by numerous small streams and brooks, it drains into Deer Lake via the 12 km long Humber Canal, and then via the Humber River, into the Bay of Islands.

The lake serves as a reservoir for the hydro-electric generating station at Deer Lake, which was constructed to provide electricity to the pulp and paper mill at Corner Brook.