- For other uses of this name see Fraser River (disambiguation)
The Fraser River may refer to:*The Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada*The Fraser River, a tributary of the Colorado River in Colorado in the United States.*The Fraser River in Labrador, Canada...
.
The
Fraser River is the longest river within
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, rising at
Fraser PassFraser Pass is a mountain pass in British Columbia's Rockies. Although immediately adjacent to the Continental Divide, the pass does not cross it; rather, it bridges the drainage basins of the Fraser River and Columbia River, both Pacific-draining rivers....
near
Mount RobsonMount Robson is the most prominent mountain in North America's Rocky Mountain range; it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia, and is part of the Rainbow Range. It is commonly thought to be the...
in the
Rocky MountainsThe Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States. The range's highest peak is Mount Elbert in Colorado at above sea level...
and flowing for 1,375 km (870 mi), into the
Strait of GeorgiaThe Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait , is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland Pacific coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from 18.5 to 55 km...
at the city of
VancouverVancouver is a coastal city and major seaport located in the Lower Mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The city is bounded by English Bay, Burrard Inlet, the Fraser River, the city of Burnaby, and the University Endowment Lands. Vancouver is named after Captain George Vancouver, a...
. It is the tenth longest river in Canada. The river's volume at its mouth is 112 km³ (27 cu mi) each year (about 800,000 gal/s or 3550 cubic metres per second), and it dumps 20 million tons of sediment into the ocean.
Geography
The Fraser drains a 220,000 km² (85,000 sq mi) area. Its headwaters are just northwest of
Fraser PassFraser Pass is a mountain pass in British Columbia's Rockies. Although immediately adjacent to the Continental Divide, the pass does not cross it; rather, it bridges the drainage basins of the Fraser River and Columbia River, both Pacific-draining rivers....
, which forms the first part of its course before its descent at
ValemountValemount is a village of 1,388 people in east central British Columbia, Canada. It is situated between the Rocky, Monashee, and Cariboo Mountains. It is the nearest community to the west of Jasper National Park, and is also the nearest community to Mount Robson Provincial Park, which features...
to the
Rocky Mountain TrenchThe Rocky Mountain Trench, or the Trench or The Valley of a Thousand Peaks, is a large valley in the northern part of the Rocky Mountains. It is both visually and cartographically a striking physiographic feature extending approximately 1600 km from Flathead Lake, Montana, to the Liard River, just...
through which it runs northwest via a region known as the
Robson ValleyThe Robson Valley is a geographic region of the Canadian province of British Columbia, comprising the section of the Rocky Mountain Trench that lies southeast of the city of Prince George following the Fraser River to the Yellowhead Pass. The name is derived from Mount Robson, which stands near...
. After running northwest past 54° north, it makes a sharp turn to the south at
Giscome PortageThe Giscome Portage was a portage between the Fraser River and Summit Lake in British Columbia, Canada. The south end of the portage is now the location of a heritage site, the Huble Homestead, which is located on the Fraser River, 40 km north of Prince George and 6 km off Highway 97.-1800s:The...
, meeting the
Nechako RiverThe Nechako River arises on the Nechako Plateau east of the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia and flows north toward Fort Fraser, then east to Prince George where it enters the Fraser River...
at the city of
Prince GeorgePrince George, with a population of 70,981 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
, then continuing south, progressively cutting deeper and deeper into the
Fraser PlateauThe Fraser Plateau is one of the main subdivisions of the Interior Plateau and is located in the Central Interior of British Columbia, and is inclusive of the Cariboo and Chilcotin Plateaus and the adjoining Marble, Clear and Camelsfoot Ranges on its southwestern edge...
to form the
Fraser CanyonThe Fraser Canyon is a stretch of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains en route from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser Valley...
from roughly the confluence of the
Chilcotin RiverThe Chilcotin River is a river, long, in Canada. It is a tributary of the Fraser River, which it joins west of the city of Williams Lake, British Columbia, near Riske Creek. The Chilcotin River drains the Chilcotin Plateau, which lies between the Fraser River and the Coast Mountains. Its main...
, near the city of
Williams LakeWilliams Lake, is a city in the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the central part of a region known as the Cariboo, it is the largest urban centre between Kamloops and Prince George. The population is 10,744....
, southwards. It is joined by the
BridgeThe Bridge River is, or was, a major tributary of British Columbia's Fraser River, entering that stream about six miles upstream from the town of Lillooet.-Name:...
and
Seton RiverThe Seton River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Course:The Seton River originates at the foot of Anderson Lake and runs initially for only 3km to the head of Seton Lake...
s at the town of
LillooetLillooet is a small community on the Fraser River in western Canada, about 240 kilometres up the British Columbia Railway line from Vancouver...
, then by the
Thompson RiverThe Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches called the South Thompson and the North Thompson...
at
LyttonLytton in British Columbia sits at the confluence of the Thompson River and Fraser River on the east side of the Fraser. The location has been inhabited by the Nlaka'pamux people for over 10,000 years...
, where it proceeds south until it is approximately 40 km (25 mi) north of the
49th parallelThe 49th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane.The parallel forms part of the United States-Canadian Border from British Columbia to Manitoba on the Canadian side and from Washington to Minnesota on the U.S. side, or from the Strait of...
, which is Canada's border with the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. From Lytton southwards it runs through a progressively deeper canyon between the
Lillooet RangesThe Lillooet Ranges are the southeasternmost subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia. They are located between the drainage of the Lillooet River and Harrison Lake on the west and the canyon of the Fraser River on the east, and by the lowland coastal valley of...
of the
Coast MountainsThe Coast Mountains are a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often referred to as the Coast Range...
on its west and the Cascade Mountains on its east. At
YaleYale is an unincorporated though historically very important small town in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was founded in 1848 by the Hudson's Bay Company as Fort Yale by Ovid Allard, the appointed manager of the new post, who named it after his superior, James Murray Yale, then Chief...
, at the head of navigation on the river, the canyon opens up and the river is wider, though without much adjoining lowland until
HopeHope is a district municipality located at the confluence of the Fraser and Coquihalla Rivers in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Hope is at the eastern end of both the Fraser Valley and the Lower Mainland region, and is at the southern end of the Fraser Canyon...
, where the river then turns west and southwest into a lush lowland valley, known as the
Fraser ValleyFraser Valley is the section of the Fraser River basin in southwestern British Columbia downstream of the Fraser Canyon. The term is sometimes used to refer to the Fraser Canyon and stretches upstream from there, but in general British Columbian usage the term refers to the stretch of the river...
, past
ChilliwackChilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. It is a predominantly agricultural community with an estimated population of 80,000 people. Chilliwack is the 2nd largest city in the Fraser Valley Regional District after Abbotsford. The city is surrounded by mountains and...
and the confluence of the
HarrisonThe Harrison River is a short but large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it near the community of Chehalis, British Columbia. The Harrison drains Harrison Lake and is the de facto continuation of the Lillooet River, which feeds the lake....
and
Sumas RiverThe Sumas River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington.-Course:The Sumas River originates in Whatcom County, Washington just north of the Nooksack River and west of Sumas Mountain...
s, bending northwest at
AbbotsfordAbbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, adjacent to Metro Vancouver. It is the 5th largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area is the 23rd largest in Canada, with 159,020 people...
and
MissionMission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality, in the province of British Columbia, Canada, is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River, overlooking the Fraser Valley. Mission is the twenty-third largest municipality in British Columbia, with a...
, turning southwest again just east of New Westminster, where it splits into a North Arm, which is the southern boundary of the city of Vancouver, and the South Arm, which divides the City of
RichmondRichmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
from the Corporation of Delta. Richmond is on the largest island in the Fraser,
Lulu IslandLulu Island is the geographic name of the island making up most of the City of Richmond, a major suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is situated between the two principal arms of the Fraser River estuary downstream from City of New Westminster, a part of which, the Queensborough community, is...
and also on
Sea IslandSea Island may refer to:*Sea Island , an island in Richmond, British Columbia that contains the Vancouver International Airport*Sea Island, Georgia, an isolated resort island in Glynn County, Georgia...
, which is the location of Vancouver Airport; the eastern end of Lulu Island is within the City of New Westminster and is called
QueensboroughQueensborough is a neighbourhood in the city of New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. It is on the eastern tip of Lulu Island on the Fraser River.-History:...
. Also in the lowermost Fraser, among other smaller islands, is
Annacis IslandAnnacis Island is an island located in the South Arm of the Fraser River in Delta, British Columbia, Canada. The island is now mostly industrial, and it contains one of the Metro Vancouver's secondary wastewater treatment plants...
, an important industrial and port area, which lies to the southeast of the eastern end of Lulu Island (Sea, Lulu and Annacis Islands lie between the North and South Arms. Other notable islands in the lower Fraser are Barnston Island,
Matsqui IslandMatsqui Island is a large island in the Fraser River in the Central Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, Canada, located between the City of Abbotsford and the District of Mission and about a mile downstream from the Mission Bridge...
,
Nicomen IslandNicomen Island is an island in the Fraser River east of Mission and between Deroche and Dewdney . Located on the river's north side, and separated from the foot of the Douglas Ranges by Nicomen Slough, the island is near-totally given over to agriculture and constitutes a rural community in its...
and
Sea Bird IslandSea Bird Island is an island in the Fraser River just east of Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada, in the Upper Fraser Valley region of that province, about 75 miles east of Vancouver...
.` Other islands lie on the outer side of the estuary, most notably
Westham IslandWestham Island is an island located near Ladner, British Columbia, Canada. The island is accessible via the Westham Island Bridge. The George C. Reifel Refuge for migratory birds is located at the northern end of the island. The Alaksen National Wildlife Area is also located on the...
, a wildfowl preserve, and Iona Island, the location of the main sewage plant for the City of Vancouver.
After 100 kilometres (about 60 mi), it forms a
deltaA delta is a landform that is created at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
where it empties into the
Strait of GeorgiaThe Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait , is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland Pacific coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from 18.5 to 55 km...
between the mainland and
Vancouver IslandVancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada, one of several North American regions named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific coast of North America between 1791 and 1794....
. The lands south of the City of Vancouver, including the cities of
RichmondRichmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
and
DeltaDelta is a district municipality in British Columbia, and forms part of Metro Vancouver. Located south of Richmond, it is bordered by the Fraser River to the north, the United States to the south and the city of Surrey to the east...
sit on the flat flood plain. The islands of the delta include
Iona IslandIona Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada was formerly an island, but is now a peninsula physically connected to Sea Island via a causeway...
,
Sea IslandSea Island is located in the city of Richmond, British Columbia, directly across the river from Vancouver and fifteen kilometres from Vancouver's downtown core. The island is in the estuary of the Fraser River, giving it a unique ecological environment...
,
Lulu IslandLulu Island is the geographic name of the island making up most of the City of Richmond, a major suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is situated between the two principal arms of the Fraser River estuary downstream from City of New Westminster, a part of which, the Queensborough community, is...
,
Annacis IslandAnnacis Island is an island located in the South Arm of the Fraser River in Delta, British Columbia, Canada. The island is now mostly industrial, and it contains one of the Metro Vancouver's secondary wastewater treatment plants...
, and a number of smaller islands. While the vast majority of the river's drainage basin lies within British Columbia, a small portion in the delta area lies across the international border in
WashingtonWashington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute. It was admitted to the Union as the...
in the United States, namely the upper reaches of the tributary
ChilliwackThe Vedder River, called the Chilliwack River above Vedder Crossing, is a river in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington....
and
Sumas RiverThe Sumas River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington.-Course:The Sumas River originates in Whatcom County, Washington just north of the Nooksack River and west of Sumas Mountain...
s. Though not part of the Fraser drainage basin, other than the headwaters of the Sumas northeast of
Everson, WashingtonEverson is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,035 at the 2000 census.Everson and the nearby city of Nooksack lie near the foothills of the Cascade mountains in Northwest Washington. Located on the banks of the Nooksack River, the businesses support the...
, most of lowland
Whatcom County, WashingtonWhatcom County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. Its name ultimately derives from a Nooksack word meaning "noisy water." As of 2000, the population was 166,814. The county seat is at Bellingham, which is also the county's largest city...
is part of the Fraser Lowland and was formed also by sediment deposited from the Fraser.
Similar to the
Columbia River GorgeThe Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to deep, the canyon stretches for over as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range forming the boundary between the State of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south...
east of
Portland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the state of Oregon. As of July 2008, it has an estimated population of 575,930, making it the 29th most populous in the United States. It has been referred to as the most...
, the Fraser exploits a topographic cleft between two mountain ranges separating a more continental climate (in this case, that of the
British Columbia InteriorThe British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as The Interior, is one of the three main regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, the other two being the Lower Mainland, which comprises the overlapping areas of Greater Vancouver...
) from a milder climate near the coast. In winter, modified arctic air often pushes through this weakness, producing uncharacteristically low temperatures in these areas, often accompanied by strong winds known as outflow winds.
The estuary at the river's mouth is a site of hemispheric importance in the
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve NetworkThe Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network is a conservation strategy targeting shorebirds in the Americas launched in 1985. Its aim is to protect the nesting, breeding and staging habitats of migratory shorebirds...
.
Discharge
With an average flow at the mouth of about , the Fraser is the largest river by volume flowing into the Pacific seaboard of Canada and the fifth largest in the country. The average flow is highly seasonal; summer discharge rates can be ten times larger than the flow during the winter.
The Fraser's highest recorded flow, in June 1894, is estimated to have been at
HopeHope is a district municipality located at the confluence of the Fraser and Coquihalla Rivers in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Hope is at the eastern end of both the Fraser Valley and the Lower Mainland region, and is at the southern end of the Fraser Canyon...
. It was calculated using high water marks near the hydrometric station at Hope and various statistical methods. In 1958 the Fraser River Board adopted the estimate for the 1894 flood. It remains the value specified by regulatory agencies for all flood control work on the river. Further studies and hydraulic models have estimated the maximum discharge of the Fraser River, at Hope during the 1894 flood, as within a range of about .
History
On June 14, 1792, the Spanish explorers
Dionisio Alcalá GalianoDionisio Alcalá Galiano was a Spanish naval officer, cartographer, and explorer. He mapped various coastlines in Europe and the Americas with unprecedented accuracy, using new technology such as chronometers...
and
Cayetano ValdésCayetano Valdés y Flores was a Spanish naval officer who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, fighting for both sides at different times due to the changing fortunes of Spain in the conflict.-Early career:...
entered and anchored in the north arm of the Fraser River, becoming the first Europeans to find and enter it. The existence of the river, but not its location, had been deduced during the 1791 voyage of
José María NarváezJosé María Narváez was a Spanish naval officer, explorer, and navigator who is mainly remembered for his work in the Pacific Northwest. He was born in Cádiz, Spain...
, under
Francisco de ElizaFrancisco de Eliza y Reventa was a Spanish naval officer, navigator, and explorer. He is remembered mainly for his work in the Pacific Northwest...
.
The upper reaches of the Fraser River were first explored by Sir Alexander Mackenzie in 1793, and fully traced by
Simon FraserSimon Fraser was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains...
in 1808, who confirmed that it was not connected with the
Columbia RiverThe Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
.
In 1828
George SimpsonSir George Simpson was a Scots-Quebecer and employee of the Hudson's Bay Company . His title was Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land and administrator over the Northwestern Territory and Columbia Department in British North America from 1821 to 1860.-Early years:George Simpson was born in...
visited the river, mainly to examine
Fort LangleyFort Langley, is a Parks Canada National historic site, a former trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company, now located in the village of Fort Langley, British Columbia...
and determine whether it would be suitable as the company's main Pacific depot. Simpson had believed the Fraser River might be navigable throughout its length, even though Simon Fraser had described it as non-navigable. Simpson journeyed down the river and through the
Fraser CanyonThe Fraser Canyon is a stretch of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains en route from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser Valley...
and afterwords wrote "I should consider the passage down, to be certain Death, in nine attempts out of Ten. I shall therefore no longer talk about it as a navigable stream". His trip down the river convinced him that Fort Langley could not replace
Fort VancouverFort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
as the company's main depot on the Pacific coast.
Much of British Columbia's history has been bound to the Fraser, partly because it was the essential route between the Interior and the Lower Coast after the loss of the lands south of the 49th Parallel with the
Oregon TreatyThe Oregon Treaty, is a treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States that was signed on June 15, 1846, in Washington, D.C. The treaty brought an end to the Oregon boundary dispute by settling competing American and British claims to the Oregon Country, which...
of 1846. It was the site of its first recorded settlements of Aboriginal people (
see Musqueam,
Stó:lōThe Stó:lō , sometimes written Sto:lo, Stó:lô or Stó:lõ, historically as Staulo or Stahlo, and also historically known and in ethnograpic literature commonly referred to as the Fraser River Indians or Lower Fraser Salish, are a group of First Nations peoples inhabiting the Fraser Valley of British...
,
St'at'imcThe St'át'imc are an Interior Salish people located in the southern Coast Mountains and Fraser Canyon region of the Interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia...
,
SecwepemcThe Secwepemc , known in English as the Shuswap , are a First Nation residing in the Canadian province of British Columbia, primarily in the area north and east of Kamloops...
and
Nlaka'pamuxThe Nlaka'pamux , commonly called "the Thompson", and also Thompson River Salish, Thompson Salish, Thompson River Indians or Thompson River people) are an indigenous First Nations/Native American people of the Interior Salish language group in southern British Columbia...
), the route of multitudes of prospectors during the
Fraser Canyon Gold RushThe Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, began in 1858 after gold was discovered on the Thompson River in British Columbia at its confluence with the Nicoamen River, a few miles upstream from the Thompson's confluence with the Fraser River at present-day Lytton...
and the main vehicle of the province's early commerce and industry.
This river has been designated a
Canadian Heritage RiverThe Canadian Heritage Rivers System was established in 1984 by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to conserve and protect the best examples of Canada's river heritage, to give them national recognition, and to encourage the public to enjoy and appreciate them. It is a cooperative...
for its natural and human heritage.
Uses
The Fraser is heavily exploited by human activities, especially in its lower reaches. Its banks are rich farmland, its water is used by
pulp millA pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fiber source into a thick fiber board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical or fully chemical methods...
s, and a few dams on some tributaries provide hydroelectric power. The main flow of the Fraser has never been dammed partly because its high level of sediment flows would result in a short dam lifespan, but mostly because of strong opposition from fisheries and other environmental concerns. In 1858, the Fraser River and surrounding areas were occupied when the gold rush came to the Fraser Canyon and the Fraser River.
The
deltaA delta is a landform that is created at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
of the river, especially in the
Boundary BayBoundary Bay is situated on the Pacific coast of North America on the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington....
area, is an important stopover location for
migratingBird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. These however are usually irregular or in only one direction and are termed variously as nomadism, invasions,...
shorebirds
The
Fraser HeraldFraser Herald of Arms is the title of one of the officers of arms at the Canadian Heraldic Authority in Ottawa. Like the other heralds at the Authority, the name is derived from the Canadian river of the same name. Since the inception of the office, Fraser Herald of Arms has been the principal...
, a regional position within the
Canadian Heraldic AuthorityThe Canadian Heraldic Authority is part of the Canadian honours system under the Queen of Canada, whose authority is exercised by the Governor General. The Authority is responsible for the creation and granting of new coats of arms , flags and badges for Canadian citizens, permanent residents and...
is named after the river.
Flooding
After European settlement, the first disastrous flood in the Fraser Valley occurred in 1894. With no protection against the rising waters of the Fraser River, Fraser Valley communities from Chilliwack downstream were inundated with water.
After the 1894 flood, a dyking system was constructed throughout the Fraser Valley. The dyking and drainage projects greatly improved the flood problems, but unfortunately over time, the dykes were allowed to fall into disrepair and became overgrown with brush and trees. With some dykes constructed of a wooden frame, they gave way in 1948 in several locations, marking the second disastrous flood.
1894 June, the Fraser River flooded Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley. The high water mark at Mission reached 25.75’.
1948 saw massive flooding in Chilliwack and other areas along the Fraser River. The high water mark at Mission rose to 24.7’.
Timeline of 1948 flood
- Throughout the May 24 long weekend, the waters of the Fraser were rising steadily, but only a few thought any real danger lay ahead.
- On May 28, 1948, the Semiault Creek Dyke broke.
- On May 29, 1948, dykes near Glendale (now Cottonwood Corners) gave way and in four days, of fertile ground were under water.
- On June 1, 1948, the Cannor Dyke (east of Vedder Canal near Trans Canada Highway) broke and released tons of Fraser River water onto the Greendale area, destroying homes and fields.
- In June 3, 1948, the steamer Gladys supplied flood-stricken Chilliwack with tents and provisions as well as moving people and stock onto high ground.
Reasons for the flood of 1948
Cool temperatures during March, April and early May had delayed the melting of the heavy snowpack that had accumulated over the winter season. Several days of hot weather and warm rains over the holiday weekend in late May hastened the thawing of the snowpack. Rivers and streams quickly swelled with spring runoff, reaching heights surpassed only in 1894.
At the height of the 1948 flood, stood under water. Dykes broke at Agassiz, Chiliwack, Nicomen Island, Glen Valley and Matsqui. By the time the flood waters receded a month later, 16,000 people had been evacuated, damages totaled $20 million.
Due to record snowpacks on the mountains in the Fraser River catch basin which began melting, combined with heavy rainfall, water levels on the Fraser River rose in 2007 to a level not reached since 1972. Low-lying land in areas upriver such as
Prince GeorgePrince George, with a population of 70,981 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
suffered minor flooding. Evacuation alerts were given for the low-lying areas not protected by dikes in the
Lower MainlandThe Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In 2007, 2,524,113 people live in the region; sixteen of the province's thirty most populous municipalities are located there....
. However, the water levels did not breach the dikes, and major flooding was averted.
Tributaries (listed from the mouth up)
- Brunette River
The Brunette River runs through East Burnaby and Coquitlam, flowing out of Burnaby Lake and to the Fraser River. According to a map and materials by Heritage Advisory Committee and Environment and Waste Management Committee of the City of Burnaby , the number of native campsites discovered on the...
- Coquitlam River
The Coquitlam River is located in between the cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, suburban municipalities located in the Metro Vancouver. This river is a tributary for the Fraser River. Each year hundreds of salmon return to spawn in the Coquitlam River. There is a reservoir near the...
- Pitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
- Stave River
The Stave River is a tributary of the Fraser, joining it at the boundary between the municipalities of Maple Ridge and Mission, about 35 km east of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in the Central Fraser Valley ....
- D'Herbomez Creek
D'Herbomez Creek is a creek in eastern Mission, British Columbia, flowing southeast to join the Fraser River at the Pekw'Xe:yles Indian Reserve D'Herbomez Creek is a creek in eastern Mission, British Columbia, flowing southeast to join the Fraser River at the Pekw'Xe:yles Indian Reserve D'Herbomez...
- Norrish Creek
Norrish Creek is a tributary of the Fraser River. It is located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada.- Course :Norrish Creek has its source in Dickson Lake, a meduim sized, seldom visited reservoir at the bases of Mount Wardrop and Catherwood. The creek flows alongside Norrish Creek...
- Sumas River
The Sumas River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington.-Course:The Sumas River originates in Whatcom County, Washington just north of the Nooksack River and west of Sumas Mountain...
- Harrison River
The Harrison River is a short but large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it near the community of Chehalis, British Columbia. The Harrison drains Harrison Lake and is the de facto continuation of the Lillooet River, which feeds the lake....
- Ruby Creek (Canada)
- Coquihalla River
The Coquihalla River is located in the Cascade Mountains near the town of Hope, British Columbia. It originates in the Coquihalla Lakes & empties into the Fraser River at Hope....
- Anderson River
The Anderson River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.The river is presumably named after Alexander Caulfield Anderson of the Hudson's Bay Company who traveled through the region in 1847-48.-Course:...
- Nahatlatch River
The Nahatlatch River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Course:The Nahatlatch River originates in the Coast Mountains and flows generally east to join the Fraser River north of Boston Bar....
- Thompson River
The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches called the South Thompson and the North Thompson...
- Stein River
The Stein River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.The name is derived from the Nlaka'pamux word Stagyn, meaning "hidden place", referring to the fact that the size and extent of the Stein River valley is not very noticeable from the river's confluence...
- Seton River
The Seton River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Course:The Seton River originates at the foot of Anderson Lake and runs initially for only 3km to the head of Seton Lake...
- Bridge River
The Bridge River is, or was, a major tributary of British Columbia's Fraser River, entering that stream about six miles upstream from the town of Lillooet.-Name:...
- Churn Creek
Churn Creek is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Course:Churn Creek flows generally northeast, joining the Fraser River just south of the headquarters of the Gang Ranch and opposite the community of Dog Creek and associated creek...
- Chilcotin River
The Chilcotin River is a river, long, in Canada. It is a tributary of the Fraser River, which it joins west of the city of Williams Lake, British Columbia, near Riske Creek. The Chilcotin River drains the Chilcotin Plateau, which lies between the Fraser River and the Coast Mountains. Its main...
- Williams Lake River
Williams Lake River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Course:Williams Lake River originates in Williams Lake, whose main tributary is the San Jose River. From Williams Lake the Williams Lake River flows a short distance west to join the Fraser River....
- Quesnel River
The Quesnel River is a major tributary of the Fraser River in the Cariboo District of central British Columbia. It begins at the outflow of Quesnel Lake, at the town of Likely and flows for about 100 km northwest to its confluence with the Fraser at the city of Quesnel.- History :Just...
- Cottonwood River
- West Road River
The West Road River or Blackwater River is a major tributary of the Fraser River, flowing generally north-eastward from the Ilgachuz Range and across the Fraser Plateau in the Chilcotin and Cariboo regions of central British Columbia, Canada...
(Blackwater River)
- Nechako River
The Nechako River arises on the Nechako Plateau east of the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia and flows north toward Fort Fraser, then east to Prince George where it enters the Fraser River...
- Salmon River
The Salmon River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, flowing southeast to meet that river to the west of Eaglet Lake, to the north of the city of Prince George. The community of Salmon Valley is located in its basin.The nearby McGregor River was...
- Willow River
The Willow River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the north-central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It enters the Fraser at the community of Willow River, just upstream from the city of Prince George, near the confluence of the McGregor River...
- McGregor River
The McGregor River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.The river is named in honor of Captain James Herrick McGregor who fought and died in 1915 at the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgian Flanders.-Course:...
- Bowron River
The Bowron River originates in Bowron Lake Provincial Park of east central British Columbia and flows north to join the Fraser River. The river was named after John Bowron, the Gold Commissioner in Barkerville.-Notable Features:...
- Torpy River
The Torpy River is a tributary of the Fraser River, rising in the Northern Rockies and the McGregor Range, a subdivision of the McGregor Plateau, and forming the boundary between the Rockies and the McGregor Plateau....
- Morkill River
- Goat River
- Doré River
The Doré River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.According to a trapper named Jack Damon, the river was originally called Fifty Mile Creek and was given the name doré, French for "golden", by a Norwegian prospector named Olson.Creek-Course:The Doré...
- Holmes River
The Holmes River is a tributary of the upper Fraser River in the Robson Valley region of British Columbia, Canada, entering that river southeast of the village of McBride.-References:***-External links:*...
- Castle Creek
- Rausch River
- Kiwa Creek
- Tete Creek
- McLennan River
- Swiftcurrent Creek
This article is on a creek in British Columbia. For an article on a creek of the same name in the US state of Montana, see Swiftcurrent Creek . Swiftcurrent Creek is a river in Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia...
- Robson River
The Robson River is a short but swift, rapid & waterfall-infested river in Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia. It is a tributary of the Upper Fraser River & it originates near Robson Pass, which divides the Robson River & the headwaters of the Smoky River drainage...
- Moose River
The Moose River is a river in Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia. It is the first "river" tributary of the Fraser, entering the Fraser just above the inlet to Moose Lake, which ironically, is along the course of the Fraser & not the Moose....
See also
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