Stave Lakeis alakeandreservoirfor the production ofhydroelectricityin theStave Riversystem, located on the northern edge ofMission City,about 65 km (40 mi) east ofVancouver,British Columbia, Canada. The main arm of the lake is about 20 km (12 mi) long from north to south and its southwest arm, ending atStave Falls DamnearStave Falls,is about 9.5 km (5.9 mi) long. The total area of the lake currently is about 55 square kilometres (21 square miles). Prior to construction of the dam, the lake was about one-third the size of its current main arm.
| Stave Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Stave Lake | |
| Location | Mission, British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 49°22′N122°18′W/ 49.367°N 122.300°W[1] |
| Type | reservoir,natural lake |
| Basincountries | Canada |
| Surface area | 55 km2(21 sq mi) |
| References | [1] |
The Stave River, the traditional territory of the Sxa'yaks (Skayuks), a vanishedHalqemeylem-speakingCoast Salish peoplerelated to today'sSto:lo,was a productive salmon river. The Skayuks demise was caused by the introduction ofsmallpoxby the Europeans and subsequent expansion by theKwantlen First Nation.[2]The presence of largered cedartrees attracted lumber companies, notablyStave Lake Cedar,whose mill was a mile above the damsite. The lower portion of the Stave is calledHayward Lake,formed byRuskin Damand formerly a canyon similar toCapilanoandLynn Canyons,and at its head in the grounds of the one-time community of worker's housing, there is a recreation area there and the beginning of a lakeside trail using the right-of-way of a railway line.
Climate
editStave Lake has anoceanic climate(Köppen climate typeCfb). The average annual precipitation is 2,359.4 mm (92.89 in). Extremes vary from −26.7 °C (−16.1 °F), recorded on January 31, 1929, to 40.0 °C (104.0 °F), recorded on June 25, 1925.
| Climate data for Stave Lake (Stave Falls) (Elevation: 110m) 1981−2010 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 16.5 (61.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
27.2 (81.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
35.6 (96.1) |
40.0 (104.0) |
39.4 (102.9) |
38.9 (102.0) |
36.7 (98.1) |
30.0 (86.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
40.0 (104.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.6 (42.1) |
8.0 (46.4) |
10.6 (51.1) |
14.7 (58.5) |
17.8 (64.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
23.7 (74.7) |
24.0 (75.2) |
21.4 (70.5) |
14.1 (57.4) |
8.7 (47.7) |
5.4 (41.7) |
14.5 (58.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.1 (37.6) |
4.4 (39.9) |
6.6 (43.9) |
9.8 (49.6) |
12.8 (55.0) |
15.5 (59.9) |
18.1 (64.6) |
18.3 (64.9) |
15.9 (60.6) |
10.5 (50.9) |
6.0 (42.8) |
3.0 (37.4) |
10.3 (50.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.6 (33.1) |
0.9 (33.6) |
2.5 (36.5) |
4.9 (40.8) |
7.8 (46.0) |
10.4 (50.7) |
12.4 (54.3) |
12.7 (54.9) |
10.3 (50.5) |
6.9 (44.4) |
3.3 (37.9) |
0.7 (33.3) |
6.1 (43.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −26.7 (−16.1) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
1.7 (35.1) |
1.1 (34.0) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−13.9 (7.0) |
−23.3 (−9.9) |
−26.7 (−16.1) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 300.7 (11.84) |
211.1 (8.31) |
215.7 (8.49) |
191.6 (7.54) |
148.3 (5.84) |
137.7 (5.42) |
82.0 (3.23) |
81.7 (3.22) |
102.7 (4.04) |
235.6 (9.28) |
370.8 (14.60) |
281.6 (11.09) |
2,359.4 (92.89) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 265.0 (10.43) |
197.9 (7.79) |
210.3 (8.28) |
191.4 (7.54) |
148.3 (5.84) |
137.7 (5.42) |
82.0 (3.23) |
81.7 (3.22) |
102.7 (4.04) |
235.6 (9.28) |
363.2 (14.30) |
258.1 (10.16) |
2,273.8 (89.52) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 35.7 (14.1) |
13.2 (5.2) |
5.5 (2.2) |
0.2 (0.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
7.6 (3.0) |
27.6 (10.9) |
89.6 (35.3) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 23 | 17.8 | 21.1 | 19.5 | 18.1 | 16.2 | 10.7 | 10.5 | 11.6 | 19.7 | 23.6 | 23.0 | 214.9 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 21.2 | 17.0 | 21.2 | 19.5 | 18.1 | 16.2 | 10.7 | 10.5 | 11.6 | 19.7 | 23.3 | 21.2 | 210.2 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 4.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.11 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 4.1 | 13.71 |
| Source: Environment Canada (normals, 1981−2010)[3] | |||||||||||||
Dams
edit
TheStave Falls Power Company,later a subsidiary of theBritish Columbia Electric Railway,dammed the river in the 1920-22 period. TheStave Falls Dam and Powerhouse,bunkhouses, a community hall, a large workers' community and railway, known as theStave Falls Branch,were part of these projects. As a result, the Upper Stave was raised and flooded the forests, as was also the case later with Hayward Lake, which was formed by the completion ofRuskin Dam and Powerhousein 1930. The cedar stood in the river for years, though during the 1980s and 1990s the timber been reclaimed by work crews from a prison camp nearSayres Lake(Cedar Lake), adjacent to the opening from the main arm, by prolonged lowerings of the reservoir level to allow for timber extraction.
After the dam was built, logging lines used the right of way and logged further north into the Stave Valley. The filmWe're No Angelswas partly filmed at the Stave Dam complex, with a large fake town and impressive (and real) timber cathedral built onpilingsinto Stave Lake. The whole set was dismantled, although agazebo-typebandstandwas moved to theHayward LakeRecreation Site just below Stave dam.
Neighbours
editMost property neighbouring Stave Lake is controlled by BC Hydro. A small number of private cabins are present on the east shores and Zajac Ranch, a summer camp for children with special needs, is on the south west side of the lake. Access to the east side of the lake is available via Sylvester Road. A large raft can be seen on Google's satellite image at coordinates 49.309144,-122.320021 which floats around the lake during the summer months.
Recreation
editStave Lake is a popular4x4and dirt-biking location because of its extensive mud flats to the southwest.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ab"Stave Lake".BC Geographical Names.
- ^Sheppard, Jonathan; Kauffmann, George; Hall, David (December 31, 2018)."Archaeological Overview Assessment (AOA) of the Silverdale Comprehensive Planning Area in Mission, B.C."(PDF).Arrowstone.
- ^"Stave Falls".Canadian Climate Normals 1981−2010.25 September 2013.Retrieved2018-03-27.
External links
edit- Bulletin 48: Landforms of British Columbia, A Physiographic Outline,Plate XIIB,Coast Mountains, Pacific Ranges, Looking down the valley of Tingle Creek to Stave LakeArchived2015-09-24 at theWayback Machine-Mount Robie Reidis just right of the mouth of Tingle Creek,Mount Bakeris in the distance.