This screen shot of a YouTube video shows the colours of Spotted Lake in Osoyoos from the air above it.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ YouTube
July 16, 2024 - 6:00 AM
Spotted Lake in Osoyoos is a popular place for tourists to stop at during the summer months when evaporation causes a unique spotted pattern on its surface.
The lake is a sacred place of healing for local First Nations communities who believe each different circle holds its own unique medicinal and healing properties.
A 56-acre plot of land surrounding the lake was returned to local First Nations in 2001 and is now part of Osoyoos Indian Band.
Known as “klilxw," Okanagan elders and chiefs met in 1979 and put together a statement of Okanagan tribal chiefs that reflected native thoughts and feelings about the lake, the Okanagan Nation Alliance says on its web page.
The lake is rich in minerals and when the water evaporates in the summer concentrations of minerals create visible spots on the lake that shift in size and colour as evaporation continues.
Located in the South Okanagan Grasslands Protected Area on Highway 3 west of Osoyoos, visitors are not permitted beyond a viewpoint, however most of the lake can be viewed and photographed from that location.
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In recent years more aerial drone footage is being collected showing much different perspectives of the natural wonder, where the spots can be seen from above in different shapes and sizes in green, brown, yellow and blue shades.
Whether flying drones over the lake is a culturally acceptable practise for the local First Nations community is unclear. The Osoyoos Indian Band did not return calls from iNFOnews.ca.
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