A drained and empty Wascana Lake before it was dredged and deepened in the fall of 1931. As part of a government relief project, 2,100 men (only men who were married and had children were allowed to work on the project) widened and dredged the lake bed and created two islands (Willow and Spruce Island) using only hand tools and horse-drawn wagons.

Aerial view of the Saskatchewan Legislative Grounds and Wascana Lake; note that Wascana Lake is drained/empty.