[2] It is in the James Bay drainage basin and is the source of the Kapuskasing River.

The majority of the lake is in geographic Kapuskasing Township,[3] Algoma District, with just the southern tip in geographic Sherlock Township,[4] Sudbury District.

The primary inflow at the southwest is the Chapleau River.

The primary outflow is the Kapuskasing River at the northeast, of which the lake is the source.

The line is served by Via Rail transcontinental Canadian trains which stop at Elsas railway station.