Whitewater Lake, Manitoba

Whitewater Lake
The former sign at the Whitewater Lake WMA on the south side of the Lake.
Whitewater Lake
Location	Municipality of Deloraine – Winchester / Municipality of Boissevain – Morton rural municipalities, Manitoba, Canada
Coordinates	49°14′17″N 100°19′25″W / 49.23806°N 100.32361°W / 49.23806; -100.32361
Lake type	Endorheic basin
Basin countries	Canada
Surface area	139.75 square kilometres (53.96 sq mi)[1]
Average depth	2 metres (6.6 ft)[1]
Surface elevation	1,628 ft (496 m)[2]

Whitewater Lake is a lake in the Canadian 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 the color of the salt flats exposed during dry periods.^[3] Whitewater Lake covers approximately 22,000 acres on average and only reaches depths of about 2 metres (6.6 ft).^[4] The lake is fed by several small streams which flow into it from the Turtle Mountains but has no natural outflow.^[4]

The alkaline lake was vulnerable to drought having dried up several times including 1857, 1913–1915, 1934-1940 and 1989–1992.^[4] 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.^[4] 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.^[4]

As of 2016, Whitewater Lake was at a peak of 1633 ft which is five feet above the average long-term level.^[2] 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.