Flooding at Manitou Beach, SK. in 2007

This spring saw more than usual runoff into Little Manitou Lake. This combined with last year’s runoff and a large deposit of freshwater into the basin by SaskWater has caused record levels in the closed basin, as the photos I took yesterday show. Some of the old-timers here that I have spoken with say that they have not seen the water levels anywhere near this high in over thirty years.

People here are getting more and more concerned about the deleterious effects of all of this on the health of the ecosystem, the quality of the world-famous mineral water in the lake and all of the erosion that has been happening. And sadly, a lot of land including our famous sandy beaches that are our pride and joy ( not to mention a major tourist attraction!) is currently languishing underwater.

Playground equipment underwater at the spot formerly known as 'The Main Beach".

The Resort Village crews have tried to pile up a few strategically placed piles of stones, gravel and sand in a few spots, but they have mostly just washed away.

What's left of the former " Center Beach", affectionately known as "Murray Beach".

When we get a stiff northwesterly wind here, the waves can get pretty big. Just east of the Village, highway #365 has been closed down for weeks now. On windy days it is totally submerged. I took a hike out there yesterday to check it out. It is a mess. Most of the highway is now covered in mud, salty gravel and debris for about a mile. There are two spots that are covered in a few inches of water. It is all barricaded off and traffic has been re-routed out around the far east side of the lake.

See the skid marks? Somebody did not notice the barricade until the last second...

Highway #365 just east of the beach is under water. How long will it be like this, or worse?

As I said, on windy days the highway is right underwater for the whole mile or so.

Little Manitou Lake is a very special ecosystem. Fed by underground springs, the shallow saline lake lies deep in a glacial-carved valley. The lake is 91% pure water, but has a specific gravity 10% higher than regular water due to a higher concentration of dissolved salts and minerals. The added density greatly enhances buoyancy and make it impossible for people to sink - even when motionless. Unless you leave earth's atmosphere, this is one of the few places in the world where you can experience the sensation of weightlessness.

To briefly explain, Little Manitou Lake is in fact an inland sea. Not a lake. The name is a misnomer. And it is a ‘closed basin’, which means anything that goes into the lake stays in the lake. Including spring runoff and any freshwater from the canal system that is allowed by SaskWater to be drained in. The only way for water to leave the basin is through evaporation. There is no doubt that the salinity levels of the so-called lake have been affected by all of this. This is turn affects the delicate balance of the whole ecosystem. Not only does an increased freshwater ratio dilute the mineral content, rendering the lake less buoyant, it also allows more vigorous blooming of green algae. There is a possibility that all of the freshwater will also impact the native brine shrimp population.

We are very concerned about the health effects and potential environmental contamination that may be a result of transferring large volumes of contaminated water from watershed to watershed. We are specifically concerned about large volumes of water that flow from run-off, snow melt and rain all the way from the Rocky Mountains into the South Saskatchewan River system, into Lake Diefenbaker that may be deposited into Little Manitou Lake via the South West Water Canal system. This water may very possibly contains agricultural, industrial and commercial pollutants/contaminants such as: herbicides, pesticides, industrial waste and nitrates and ammonia from intensive livestock operations.

As you can see, it gets complicated.

My questions around this issue are: 1) How will our annual tourist trade be impacted by the fact that there are no longer any beaches here at Manitou Beach? Note: The Resort Village hosts about 120,000 visitors every year from all over the world. 2) Are all of the beaches that are now underwater going to get washed away into the lake? 3) What will be the long-term of all of this freshwater on the famous mineral properties of Little Manitou? 4) What affect will all of the contaminants carried by all the millions of gallons of freshwater into the storage basin have on the health of the ecosystem? The water Will all of the flooding cause any additional damage to heritage structures that the water has now encroached on, such as World-Famous Rainbow Danceland and the Old Shrimp Factory? Who is responsible for cleanup or repairs? 5) How can we as a community try to prevent this from happening in the future?

The change booth and Volley-Ball court at the "Main Beach" are submerged. Water polo anyone?

A group of concerned citizens have formed a not-for-profit organization called Manitou Environmental Group Incorporated to tackle these and other issues around sustaining the long-term viability of this endangered ecosystem. MEGInc. Is holding a general information meeting and membership drive at the upstairs banquet hall of the Diner at the Beach on Sunday May 27th 2007 starting at 2:00 PM. Anyone interested in voicing their concerns around these issues is invited to attend. The only way to address these issues is through public consensus. So, if you have any interest in the future of Little Manitou Lake, please attend.

This formerly high and dry residence on the east side of the village is now a 'lake-front' property.

MEGInc. will continue to hold meetings and plan ways to positively deal with these important problems and others that might affect the ecological integrity of the lake. The time for complaining privately is over. The only way we can make any progress on these issues is to work together as a cohesive group. There is strength in numbers, so please come out and join us.

I am confident that there are solutions, but we have to get our act together and get organized.

Michael Gaudet

President
Manitou Environmental Group Incorporated
May 17th, 2007.