# Rural Municipality of Snipe Lake No. 259

The Rural Municipality of Snipe Lake No. 259 (2016 population: 396) is a rural municipality (RM) in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within Census Division No. 8 and SARM Division No. 3.

## History

The RM of Snipe Lake No. 259 incorporated as a rural municipality on December 11, 1911.

## Geography
### Communities and localities

The following urban municipalities are surrounded by the RM.

#### Towns

* Eston
The following unincorporated communities are within the RM.

#### Localities

* Bickleigh
* Isham
* McMorran
* Penkill
* Plato, dissolved as a village, March 28, 1995.
* Richlea, dissolved as a village, December 31, 1958
* Snipe Lake
* Totnes
* Witley

### Climate

Climate data for Eston :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 9.5 (49.1) | 13.5 (56.3) | 20.5 (68.9) | 32.5 (90.5) | 36.1 (97.0) | 39.5 (103.1) | 39 (102) | 38.9 (102.0) | 36.7 (98.1) | 32.2 (90.0) | 21.7 (71.1) | 11.7 (53.1) | 39.5 (103.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −9.5 (14.9) | −6.5 (20.3) | 1.5 (34.7) | 11.8 (53.2) | 19.3 (66.7) | 23.5 (74.3) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25 (77) | 18.7 (65.7) | 11.7 (53.1) | −0.5 (31.1) | −7.7 (18.1) | 9.4 (48.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −14.3 (6.3) | −11.5 (11.3) | −4 (25) | 4.8 (40.6) | 11.7 (53.1) | 16.2 (61.2) | 18.1 (64.6) | 17.4 (63.3) | 11.4 (52.5) | 4.9 (40.8) | −5.6 (21.9) | −12.5 (9.5) | 3 (37) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −19.1 (−2.4) | −16.5 (2.3) | −9.5 (14.9) | −2.2 (28.0) | 4 (39) | 8.8 (47.8) | 10.5 (50.9) | 9.7 (49.5) | 4 (39) | −2 (28) | −10.7 (12.7) | −17.3 (0.9) | −3.4 (25.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −47.8 (−54.0) | −40.5 (−40.9) | −40.6 (−41.1) | −28.6 (−19.5) | −11.1 (12.0) | −4.4 (24.1) | −1.1 (30.0) | −2.8 (27.0) | −10.6 (12.9) | −26 (−15) | −35 (−31) | −43.9 (−47.0) | −47.8 (−54.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 13 (0.5) | 9.5 (0.37) | 14.8 (0.58) | 19.5 (0.77) | 37.8 (1.49) | 53.2 (2.09) | 53.1 (2.09) | 39.3 (1.55) | 20.3 (0.80) | 11 (0.4) | 11.1 (0.44) | 14.6 (0.57) | 297.2 (11.70) |
| Source: Environment Canada ||||||||||||||

## Eston Riverside Regional Park

Eston Riverside Regional Park (50°57′50″N 108°45′59″W﻿ / ﻿50.9639°N 108.7664°W﻿ / 50.9639; -108.7664) is a regional park in the RM of Snipe Lake on the north bank of the South Saskatchewan River, about 21 kilometres (13 mi) south of the town of Eston. Access to the park is from Highway 30.
Eston Riverside Park has a campground, cabins, a golf course, ball diamonds, an outdoor swimming pool, and access to the river. The campground has 48 campsites, 18 of which are full service.
Eston Riverside Golf Course is a 9-hole, grass greens course. The course is a par 36 with two sets of tees, one totally 3,341 yards and the other 2,605 yards. There is a licensed clubhouse, driving range, and putting green.

## Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the RM of Snipe Lake No. 259 had a population of 410 living in 177 of its 290 total private dwellings, a change of 3.5% from its 2016 population of 396. With a land area of 1,615.91 km$^2$ (623.91 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.3/km$^2$ (0.7/sq mi) in 2021.
In the 2016 Census of Population, the RM of Snipe Lake No. 259 recorded a population of 396 living in 176 of its 300 total private dwellings, a -12.4% change from its 2011 population of 452. With a land area of 1,573.8 km$^2$ (607.6 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.3/km$^2$ (0.7/sq mi) in 2016.

## Government

The RM of Snipe Lake No. 259 is governed by an elected municipal council and an appointed administrator that meets on the second Thursday of every month. The reeve of the RM is Bill Owens while its administrator is Brian Shauf. The RM's office is located in Eston.