Coquitlam Lake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coquitlam Lake
Location	Coquitlam, British Columbia Canada
Coordinates	49°24′N 122°47′WCoordinates: 49°24′N 122°47′W
Lake type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Coquitlam River
Primary outflows	Coquitlam River
Basin countries	Canada
Surface area	11 km²
Surface elevation	154 m
Islands	Coqitlam Island

Coquitlam Lake is a reservoir in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. It is a major component of the Greater Vancouver Regional District's water supply system for the Vancouver metropolitan area, and also a part of BC Hydro's power generation system. A tunnel directs water from the lake to nearby Buntzen Lake, and from there into a pair of power stations. The lake is also used as domestic water supply for the Greater Vancouver Regional District^[1]

[edit] History

Construction of the tunnel between Coquitlam Lake and Buntzen Lake began in 1902 and finished in 1905, supplying water to powerhouses on Indian Arm, which supplied electricity to Vancouver^[2].

The first Coquitlam Dam, built to raise the water level by five feet (1.5 m), was begun in April 1904, and completed in 1905. It was built to protect the water supply to the powerhouses, and also supplied water to New Westminster^[3]. By 1906 the original dam was discovered to be leaking, and while repairs were made the leak continued through 1908, until the current dam was completed in 1914.