Nao Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nao Lake |
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Nao Lake at the Mistik Creek outlet
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 Nao Lake
Location in Manitoba
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| Location | Manitoba |
| Coordinates | 54°43′4″N 101°25′47″W / 54.71778°N 101.42972°W |
| Lake type | Glacial Lake |
| Primary inflows | Mistik Creek |
| Primary outflows | Mistik Creek |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 1.5 km (0.93 mi) |
| Max. width | 0.6 km (0.37 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 319 m (1,047 ft) |
| Islands | 4 |
Nao Lake is a cool lake found in Manitoba, Canada. It's part of the Mistik Creek system. This lake is a type of glacial lake, which means it was formed by huge sheets of ice called glaciers long ago.
The lake is in the Hudson Bay drainage basin. This means all the water from Nao Lake eventually flows into Hudson Bay. The area around the lake is part of the Midwestern Canadian Shield forests. Here, you'll find a mix of different trees, both deciduous (trees that lose their leaves) and coniferous (evergreen trees).
The land around Nao Lake is quite rocky. It has parallel ridges and areas of muskeg, which are like wet, spongy bogs. The shoreline is also uneven because of how the glaciers shaped the land. Nao Lake is also part of a famous canoe route called the "Mistik Creek Loop." This route is about 95 km (59 mi) long and takes about four days to paddle.
What's in a Name? The Meaning of Nao Lake
The name "Nao" comes from the Cree language. Cree is the language spoken by the Cree people, who are one of the largest groups of First Nations in Canada. In Cree, "Nao" means "four."
Nao Lake is special because it's one of fourteen lakes on Mistik Creek that are named in order using Cree numbers. These lakes are listed from south to north, following the flow of the creek.
The Fourteen Lakes of Mistik Creek
Here are the lakes on Mistik Creek, named in Cree with their English meanings:
- Payuk Lake - One (This is where the creek flows out)
- Neso Lake - Two
- Nisto Lake - Three
- Nao Lake - Four
- Niyanun Lake - Five
- Nikotwasik Lake - Six
- Tapukok Lake - Seven
- Uyenanao Lake - Eight
- Kakat Lake - Nine
- Mitatut Lake - Ten
- Payukosap Lake - Eleven
- Nesosap Lake - Twelve
- Nistosap Lake - Thirteen
- Naosap Lake - Fourteen (This is where the creek starts)
