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Okanagan Lake

Coordinates:49°54′40″N119°30′45″W/ 49.91111°N 119.51250°W/49.91111; -119.51250
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Okanagan Lake
kɬúsx̌nítkw
Okanagan Lake kɬúsx̌nítkw is located in British Columbia
Okanagan Lake kɬúsx̌nítkw
Okanagan Lake
kɬúsx̌nítkw
LocationBritish Columbia,Canada
Coordinates49°54′40″N119°30′45″W/ 49.91111°N 119.51250°W/49.91111; -119.51250
Lake typeFjord Lake,[1]Monomictic,Oligotrophic
Primary inflowsMission Creek,Vernon Creek, Trout Creek, Penticton Creek, Equesis Creek, Kelowna Creek, Peachland Creek, Powers Creek,Whiteman Creek
Primary outflowsOkanagan River
Catchment area6,200 km2(2,400 sq mi)
BasincountriesCanada
Max. length135 kilometres (84 mi)
Max. width5 kilometres (3.1 mi)
Surface area351 square kilometres (136 sq mi)
Average depth76 m (249 ft)
Max. depth232 m (761 ft)
Water volume24.6 cubic kilometres (5.9 cu mi)
Residence time52.8 years
Shore length1270 kilometres (170 mi)
Surface elevation342 m (1,122 ft)
Frozen1906/07 & 1949/50
IslandsRattlesnake Island,Grant Island
SettlementsVernon,Lake Country,Kelowna,West Kelowna,Peachland,Summerland,Penticton
References[2]
1Shore length isnot a well-defined measure.
Okanagan Lake winds between Kelowna (foreground) and Westbank (background).

Okanagan Lake(Okanagan:kɬúsx̌nítkw)[3]is alakein theOkanagan ValleyofBritish Columbia,Canada. The lake is 135 km (84 mi) long, between 4 and 5 km (2.5 and 3.1 mi) wide, and has a surface area of 348 km2(135 sq. mi.).[4][5][6]

Hydrography

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Okanagan Lake is called afjord lakeas it has been carved out by repeated glaciations. Although the lake contains numerouslacustrine terraces,it is not uncommon for the lake to be 100 metres (328 ft) deep only 10 metres (11 yd) offshore.[7] Major inflows includeMission,Vernon,Trout,Penticton,Equesis,Kelowna,Peachlandand Powers Creeks.[8] The lake is drained by theOkanagan River,which exits the lake's south end via a canal through the city of Penticton toSkaha Lake,whence the river continues southwards into the rest of the South Okanagan and throughOkanogan County, Washingtonto its confluence with theColumbia.

The lake's maximum depth is 232 metres (761 ft) nearGrant Island(Nahun Weenox). There are three other islands: one known asRattlesnake Island,much farther south by Squally Point. The other two are near Grant Island. They are unnamed and are located just north of the north-point of Whisky Cove at Carrs Landing. Some areas of the lake have up to 750 metres (2,460 ft) of glacial and post-glacial sediment fill which were deposited during thePleistocene Epoch.[1]

Notable features of theOkanagan Valleyinclude terraces which were formed due to the periodic lowering of the lake's predecessor, glacialLake Penticton.These terraces are now used extensively for agriculture such as fruit cultivation.

Geographical context

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Cities bordering the lake includeVernonin the north,Pentictonin the south, andKelowna,as well as the municipalities ofLake Country(north of Kelowna),West Kelowna(west of Kelowna),Peachland(south of West Kelowna), andSummerland(north-west of Penticton). Unincorporated communities includeNaramata(north-east of Penticton).

Various lake features includeRattlesnake Island(a small island east ofPeachland), Squally Point (a popularcliff-divingarea) &Fintry Deltaon the west side.

The five-laneWilliam R. Bennett Bridge,afloatingbridge with ahigh boat passagearchconnectsKelownato the city ofWest Kelownaand the community ofWestbank.This bridge replaced the three-lane floatingOkanagan Lake Bridgeon May 30, 2008, which had a lift span for passage of large boats.

Steamboats

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SSOkanagan,withthe Duke of Connaughton board, 1912

During the early days of settlement and development of theOkanaganregion, the lack of roads in the region made the lake a natural corridor for passenger travel and freight. TheCanadian Pacific Railway Lake and River Servicewas the main carrier on the lakes, providing freight and passenger connections betweenPenticton,on theKettle Valley Railway(the Southern Mainline) andOkanagan Landing(Vernon) for connections to the CPR Mainline atSicamousvia theShuswap and Okanagan Railway.Smaller vessels such as theSSNaramataprovided passenger service to smaller settlements around the lake, as well as excursions for tourists.[9]

sternwheelerAberdeenon Okanagan Lake, sometime between 1893 and 1895

Vessels

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Landings

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Recreation

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Many parks and beaches are found along the shores of the lake, which make boating and swimming very popular activities.

The lake is home to several species of fish, includingrainbow troutandkokanee.It is said by some to be home to its own lake monster – a giant serpent-like creature namedOgopogo.

Images

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toOkanagan Lake.
  • Maude Roxby Wetlands sunset
    Maude Roxby Wetlands sunset
  • Boyce-Gyro Beach on a Winter Afternoon
  • Swimmers in Peachland
    Swimmers in Peachland
  • Half Way Bay during Golden Hour in Winter
  • Clouds over Okanagan Lake
    Clouds over Okanagan Lake

See also

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References

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  1. ^abEyles, N., Mullins, H.T., and Hine, A.C. (1990). "Thick and fast: Sedimentation in a Pleistocene fiord lake of British Columbia, Canada".Geology.18(11): 1153–1157.Bibcode:1990Geo....18.1153E.doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<1153:TAFSIA>2.3.CO;2.{{cite journal}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^"Okanagan Lake".BC Geographical Names.
  3. ^"kɬúsx̌nítkʷ (Okanagan Lake) Responsibility Planning Initiative".Syilx Okanagan Nation Alliance.Okanagan Nation Alliance.Retrieved20 March2022.
  4. ^Limnology of the Major Lakes in the Okanagan Basin. Canada - British Columbia Okanagan Basin Agreement, Final Report, Technical Supplement V.(PDF)(Report). Penticton, British Columbia: British Columbia Water Resources Service. April 1974. p. 46. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2016-03-04.Retrieved2015-10-22.Okanagan Lake surface area: 348 * 106m2.Dat compiled by the charts of the Fish and Wildlife Branch, Department of Recreation and Conservation, BC.
  5. ^Stockner J.G.; Northcote T.G. (1974). "Recent limnological studies of Okanagan Basin lakes and their contribution to comprehensive water resource planning".Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada.31(5): 955–976.doi:10.1139/f74-111.
  6. ^"Okanagan Lake".World Lakes Database.International Lake Environment Committee Foundation. Archived fromthe originalon 2005-11-21.Retrieved2006-05-12.
  7. ^Murray A., Roed (1995). "Chapter 5: The ice Age in the Okanagan". In Roed, Murray A. (ed.).Okanagan Geology: British Columbia.Okanagan Geology Committee. p. 48.ISBN978-0-9699795-4-8.
  8. ^"CHAPTER 1: The Okanagan Basin" in section "1.2 Drainage". CANADA - BRITISH COLUMBIA OKANAGAN BASIN AGREEMENT THE MAIN REPORT OF THE CONSULTATIVE BOARD, Part 1 Introduction (Report). Penticton, British Columbia: British Columbia Water Resources Service. March 31, 1974. p. 5.Major tributaries of Okanagan Lake, listed in order of decreasing annual discharge are Mission, Vernon, Trout Creek, Penticton, Equesis, Kelowna, Peachland and Powers Creeks.
  9. ^Penticton Museum displays, and heritage signs at the Okanagan Lake Heritage Shipyard on Okanagan Beach in Penticton.
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