Little Manitou Lake (Saskatchewan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Manitou Lake |
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Manitou Beach
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 Little Manitou Lake
Location in Saskatchewan
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| Location | Saskatchewan |
| Coordinates | 51°44′N 105°30′W / 51.733°N 105.500°W |
| Type | Endorheic |
| Primary inflows | None |
| Primary outflows | None |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Surface area | 13.4 km2 (5.2 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 3.8 m (12 ft) |
| Settlements | Manitou Beach |
Little Manitou Lake is a small saltwater lake about 120 kilometres south-east of Saskatoon, Canada. The lake was formed by receding glaciers during the most recent ice age. It is fed by underground springs, and has a mineral content high in sodium, magnesium and potassium salts due to it being a terminal lake. The salt content of the water (180 g/L) gives it a salinity about half of that of the Dead Sea (300-400 ppt), allowing bathers to float easily. There is no fishing, because the high salt content of the water supports little other than brine shrimp.
History
Since the 19th century, native people have been bringing sick people to the lake they named after the spirit Manitou. The earliest known practice of using this water to heal was when some Assiniboine people afflicted with smallpox were supposedly cured after drinking and submerging themselves in the water.
Since the turn of the 20th century and the depression of the 1930s, Manitou has been a tourist resort due to its unique mineral waters. Since the late 1980s, the claimed health benefits and the buoyancy of the water have once again made it a popular tourist destination.
Manitou Beach has spawned an arts community, made evident by the founding of an Artists' Collective called "Spirit of Manitou Studio Trail". The Spirit of Manitou Studio Trail consists of an open studio/gallery weekend tour including artists/artisans from the localities of Allan, Meacham, Watrous and Manitou Beach.
