[2] The entire lake plus surrounding land totalling 1,259.52 km2 (486.30 sq mi) is part of an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada.

It lies within muskeg and the boreal forest ecozone of Canada.

Backes Island has been designated a provincial wildlife refuge.

[5] The south-west corner of Primrose Lake (54°45′N 110°03′W / 54.750°N 110.050°W / 54.750; -110.050) in Alberta was used as launch site for sounding rockets of the types super Loki and Arcas in Canada.

[6] The fish species include walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco, white sucker, longnose sucker, and burbot.