Quesnel Lake

Quesnel Lake

Hurricane Point
Location British Columbia
Coordinates 52°32′N 121°2′W / 52.533°N 121.033°WCoordinates: 52°32′N 121°2′W / 52.533°N 121.033°W
Type glacial, fjord lake, oligotrophic[1]
Primary inflows Horsefly River
Mitchell River
Niagara Creek[1]
Primary outflows Quesnel River (total 131m3)[1]
Catchment area 6,200 km2 (2,400 sq mi)[1]
Basin countries Canada
Max. length 100km From Likely to end of East arm, 48km North Arm
Surface area 266 km2 (103 sq mi)[1]
Average depth 157 m (515 ft)[1]
Max. depth 610 m (2,000 ft)[2]
Water volume 41.8 km3 (10.0 cu mi)[1]
Residence time 10.1 years[1]
Shore length1 323.8 km (201.2 mi)
Surface elevation 728 m (2,388 ft)[3]
Settlements Likely, Horsefly
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Quesnel Lake is a glacial lake or fjord in British Columbia, Canada, and is the origin of the Quesnel River. With a maximum depth of 506 meters (although the true maximum depth is unknown), it is the deepest lake in British Columbia, though not the deepest lake in Canada, as is often claimed. That distinction belongs to Great Slave Lake.[4] It is claimed to be the deepest fjord lake in the world.[1]

On August 4, 2014, the tailings pond of Mount Polley mine burst, spilling toxic effluent into Polley Lake and Quesnel Lake and temporarily depriving residents of Likely, British Columbia, of fresh water for household use.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Quesnel Lake's heat budget". Retrieved June 17, 2007.
  2. ↑ http://www.travel-british-columbia.com/cariboo-chilcotin/cariboo/quesnel-lake/
  3. ↑ Elevation from Google Earth
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