7 Wonders of Manitoba Episode 2: Little Limestone Lake

[Music] manitoba is home to over 100 000 lakes covering nearly 95 000 square kilometers of our province from the massive inland oceans of the interlake to the thousands of unnamed lakes in the far north the diversity of fresh water in our province is astounding [Music] but there is one lake 450 kilometers north of winnipeg that is not only one of a kind in the province but a natural wonder completely unique in the world little limestone lake is the largest and the most outstanding moral lake on earth marl is a natural phenomenon created when calcium carbonate from eroding limestone mixes with clay and warm water in just the right amount it changes the color of a lake to a supernatural turquoise blue [Music] little limestone lake is widely known as the best example of this process on earth [Music] located 50 kilometers north of grand rapids on the traditional territory of the mosaic and green nation it sits in a unique geological landscape underlain by limestone bedrock this area features a high number of sinkholes caves and crevices all shaped by the dissolving process of water on limestone a good example of these complex rock formations can be found on the west side of the lake as years of wind and wave erosion have exposed cliffs up to 5 meters in height dating back roughly 440 million years ago this layer of limestone is slowly dissolved by the natural acid found in rainwater this process has widened fractures in the bedrock leading rainwater into a network of underground channels [Music] it is through these channels that the majority of water enters into little limestone lake [Music] as the water travels through the rock it brings with it tiny particles of calcium carbonate eroded from the limestone when the calcium carbonate enters the lake it mixes with insoluble clay particles together they settle on the lake floor creating a bed of white matter known as marl when suspended in water this mixture scatters sunlight creating the bluish hue that the lake is famous for heightening this effect is the lake's overall shallowness allowing sunlight to penetrate deep into the bottom of the lake the reason little limestone lake is able to maintain this concentration of marl is partially due to its elevation [Music] slightly higher than the surrounding bodies of water it has no major inflowing streams keeping its unique chemical makeup intact but even the slightest disturbance in this small watershed can alter this process and change the color of the lake forever [Music] because of this the provincial government in partnership with the mozakahikan cree nation designated little limestone lake its 85th provincial park giving the shoreline protection from industry and pollution [Music] covering more than 4 800 hectares this wilderness area provides great habitat for black bears moose and a wide variety of migratory birds including the sandhill crane who often use this region as a stopover on their long journey with the backdrop of this pristine boreal forest little limestone lake is one of the most stunningly beautiful lakes in the province [Music] but one of its most amazing features can't be captured in a single photograph as it has the ability to transform itself throughout the course of a day [Music] because of the moral that makes this lake blue works by being suspended in water the overall temperature of the lake affects its behavior when the temperature dips overnight the calcium carbonate dissolves decreasing the amount of moral and making the lake more transparent as the water heats up more particles come out of the solution and reflect more of the sunlight on just the right day you can actually see this transformation take place as the midday sun heats up the lake and the water fades from a deep blue into a bright milky turquoise [Music] this amazing transformation is only possible because of a perfect storm of geography and geological history it's an extremely delicate balance maintained for thousands of years much of little limestone lake and the area it surrounds remains shrouded in mystery [Music] the overall depth of the lake and exact moral proportions on the lake floor are unknown to this day and researchers are just scratching the surface of the vast network of underground caves that make this area of the interlake so unique [Music] but with its provincial park status protecting it for years of research to come we may soon unlock more secrets of this supernatural wonder [Music] [Music] you

Channel: TravelManitoba

Views: 31,486

Rating: 4.9483395 out of 5

Keywords: Little Limestone Lake, Manitoba, Manitoba Lakes

Id: IAWiei94C8g

Length: 8min 32sec (512 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 13 2021