Powell Lake
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| Powell Lake | |
|---|---|
| File:Powell River Aerial 2004.jpg Aerial view of Powell Lake and the city of Powell River | |
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| Location | Sunshine Coast, British Columbia |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Type | fjord lake, meromictic, reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Powell River, Eldred River and Olsen Creek |
| Primary outflows | Powell River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 50 km (31 mi) |
| Surface area | 120 km2 (46 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 150 m (490 ft) |
| Max. depth | 360 m (1,180 ft) |
| Water volume | 18 km3 (4.3 cu mi) |
| Surface elevation | 56 m (184 ft) |
| Islands | Goat Island |
| Settlements | Powell River |
Powell Lake is a lake in the northern Sunshine Coast region of British Columbia, Canada, adjacent to the city of Powell River, which sits on the low rise of land forming a natural dam between the lake and the Strait of Georgia at 46 metres above sea level. The lake flows to the ocean through Powell River and features Goat Island, a large mountainous island. It serves as a reservoir for a small hydroelectric generating station which was built to serve the city's paper mill; and also as a water supply for that paper mill. Construction of the hydroelectric dam began in 1910, and in 1924 the lake's water level was raised to 56 metres above sea level.[1]
The lake consists of six interconnected basins, two of which are meromictic, containing trapped salt water in the bottom 50 metres of the water column.[2] Approximately 11,000 years ago, due to post-glacial rebound, the bedrock sill at the mouth of the fjord began to rise, isolating the basin from the Strait of Georgia.[3]
Name origin
[edit | edit source]The ʔayʔaǰuθəm (ey-ajoothum) name for the lake is θaʔyɛɬ (tha-yelh), meaning "freshwater lake."[4] The English namesake is believed to be Dr. Israel Wood Powell, who is also believed to be the namesake for the nearby Powell River and city of Powell River.[5] The city has recognized Dr. Powell as the namesake for the city and nearby geographic features since at least 1946, when Dr. Powell's daughters presented a portrait of their father to one of the local high schools.[6]
Indigenous history
[edit | edit source]The Tla’amin people lived near the mouth of the lake in a village called tiskwat, prior to European settlement.[7]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
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