Basin countries Canada Surface elevation 496 m | Average depth 2 metres (6.6 ft) Area 139.8 km² | |
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Location Municipality of Deloraine – Winchester / Municipality of Boissevain – Morton rural municipalities, Manitoba, Canada Surface area 139.75 square kilometres (53.96 sq mi) | ||
Whitewater Lake is a lake in the Canada province of Manitoba located between Boissevain and Deloraine. It is an endorheic basin and more marsh than lake. Whitewater Lake was previously called White Lake due to its salt flats that were exposed during dry periods. Whitewater Lake covers approximately 22,000 acres on average and only reaches depths of about 2 metres (6.6 ft). The lake is fed by several small streams which flow into from the Turtle Mountains, though it has no natural outflow.
Map of Whitewater Lake, Manitoba, Canada
The alkaline lake was vulnerable to drought having dried up several times including 1857, 1913-1915, 1934-1940 and 1989-1992. In 1989 Ducks Unlimited Canada began partnering with Manitoba Conservation and other partners to enhance the sustainability of the lake, investing more than two million over the following years. Dikes and water control structures were added to the east side of the lake to ensure the permanency of the water even during dry years. As of 2016, Whitewater Lake is at a peak of 1633 ft which is five feet above the average long-term level. These high levels have seen the lake claim more farm land and resulted in significant erosion of the dike and park space structures on the lake's southeast side.
The lake has received several important designations due to the diverse and large amount of wildlife that depend on it, particularly avian species. It is labelled a Manitoba Wildlife Management Area, bird habitat of Canadian importance for staging shorebirds and geese, and a globally significant Important Bird Area.