| Pitt Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Pitt Lake | |
| Location | British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 49°25′N122°33′W / 49.417°N 122.550°W /49.417; -122.550[1] |
| Type | Fjord lake andTidal lake |
| Primary inflows | Pitt River |
| Primary outflows | Pitt River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 24 km (15 mi) |
| Max. width | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) |
| Surface area | 53.5 km2 (20.7 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 150 m (490 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 3 m (9.8 ft)[2] |
| Islands | Goose, Little Goose, Gosling |
| References | [1] |
Pitt Lake is the second-largest lake in theLower Mainland ofBritish Columbia. About 53.5 km2 (20.7 sq mi) in area, it is about 25 km (16 mi) long and about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) wide at its widest. It is one of the world's relatively few tidal lakes, and among the largest. In Pitt Lake, there is on average a three-foot tide range; thus Pitt Lake is separated from sea level and tidal waters during most hours of each day during the 15 foot tide cycle of thePitt River andStrait of Georgia estuary immediately downstream.[3] The lake's southern tip is 20 km (12 mi) upstream from The Pitt River confluence with theFraser River and is 40 km (25 mi) east ofDowntown Vancouver.
Pitt Lake is in a typical U-shapedglacial valley in thePacific Ranges of theCoast Mountains. Theoverdeepening of the lower end of the valley over the span of theWisconsin glaciation created a trough over 140 m below current sea level. After initial glacial retreat at around 13,000 years ago a saltwater fjord occupied this basin when relative sea levels were still ca 120 to 140m above current levels in the region. Unlike neighbouringIndian Arm andHowe Sound farther west, this fjord basin became partly cut off from tidal waters by sedimentation of the lower Fraser River ca 10,500 years ago, and Pitt Lake is now considered a tidal fjord lake.
Pitt Lake is the second largest of a series of north–south oriented fjord-lakes incising the southern slopes of the Pacific Ranges, the largest beingHarrison Lake located 60 km (37 mi) to the east. The other fjord-lakes includeCoquitlam Lake,Alouette Lake,Stave Lake, andChehalis Lake.
ThePitt River drains into the northern end of Pitt Lake. The western shore of Pitt Lake are protected withinPinecone Burke Provincial Park, while most of the eastern shore are protected withinGolden Ears Provincial Park. The southern end of Pitt Lake features an extensivemarshland calledPitt Polder. While most of this marshland has since been drained foragricultural use, the northernmost portion is strictly protected in order to provide critical habitat for migratory birds.
The community ofPitt Meadows and the Katzie First Nations reserve of Pitt Lake Indian Reserve 4 are located at the southern end of the lake. Just southwest of the lake is the community ofPort Coquitlam, which is across thePitt River fromPitt Meadows. At the north end of the lake is a locality namedAlvin, which is a transport and shipping point for logging companies and their employees.
Pitt Lake has anoceanic climate (Köppen climate typeCfb). As such, it features cool, rainy winters with relatively warm and dry summers. The average annual precipitation is 2,155.4 mm (84.86 in). Extremes vary from −23.3 °C (−9.9 °F), recorded on January 23, 1969, to 37.0 °C (98.6 °F), recorded on July 21, 2006.
| Climate data for Pitt Lake (Pitt Polder) (Elevation: 5m) 1981−2010 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.0 (59.0) | 18.3 (64.9) | 25.0 (77.0) | 29.0 (84.2) | 35.0 (95.0) | 36.0 (96.8) | 37.0 (98.6) | 35.5 (95.9) | 35.5 (95.9) | 28.0 (82.4) | 19.4 (66.9) | 17.0 (62.6) | 37.0 (98.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.8 (42.4) | 7.9 (46.2) | 10.9 (51.6) | 14.2 (57.6) | 17.8 (64.0) | 20.6 (69.1) | 23.8 (74.8) | 24.2 (75.6) | 20.8 (69.4) | 14.2 (57.6) | 8.5 (47.3) | 5.3 (41.5) | 14.5 (58.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.1 (37.6) | 4.1 (39.4) | 6.7 (44.1) | 9.4 (48.9) | 12.8 (55.0) | 15.6 (60.1) | 18.0 (64.4) | 18.1 (64.6) | 14.8 (58.6) | 9.9 (49.8) | 5.4 (41.7) | 2.5 (36.5) | 10.0 (50.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.3 (32.5) | 0.2 (32.4) | 2.3 (36.1) | 4.6 (40.3) | 7.8 (46.0) | 10.6 (51.1) | 12.1 (53.8) | 11.9 (53.4) | 8.7 (47.7) | 5.5 (41.9) | 2.3 (36.1) | −0.4 (31.3) | 5.5 (41.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −23.3 (−9.9) | −16.7 (1.9) | −11.7 (10.9) | −5.0 (23.0) | −2.2 (28.0) | 1.7 (35.1) | 4.4 (39.9) | 2.8 (37.0) | −1.7 (28.9) | −9.0 (15.8) | −19.0 (−2.2) | −18.0 (−0.4) | −23.3 (−9.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 298.6 (11.76) | 203.0 (7.99) | 199.4 (7.85) | 164.5 (6.48) | 135.6 (5.34) | 100.6 (3.96) | 69.1 (2.72) | 65.9 (2.59) | 98.6 (3.88) | 223.0 (8.78) | 340.2 (13.39) | 257.0 (10.12) | 2,155.4 (84.86) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 284.4 (11.20) | 194.1 (7.64) | 197.0 (7.76) | 164.5 (6.48) | 135.6 (5.34) | 100.6 (3.96) | 69.1 (2.72) | 65.9 (2.59) | 98.6 (3.88) | 222.8 (8.77) | 336.1 (13.23) | 243.6 (9.59) | 2,112.4 (83.17) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 14.2 (5.6) | 8.8 (3.5) | 2.4 (0.9) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.2 (0.1) | 4.1 (1.6) | 13.3 (5.2) | 43.0 (16.9) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 20.2 | 15.8 | 18.9 | 17.1 | 15.5 | 14 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 9.7 | 17 | 20.8 | 19 | 184 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 19.3 | 15 | 18.7 | 17.1 | 15.5 | 14 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 9.7 | 17 | 20.7 | 17.7 | 180.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.72 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.04 | 0.83 | 3 | 8.89 |
| Source: Environment Canada (normals, 1981−2010)[4] | |||||||||||||
The lake is popular with boaters and canoeists, but is prone to heavy winds and rains as well as big waves (due to its great depth). The Upper Pitt, meaning the valley upstream from the lake, is considered one of BC's best fly-fishing rivers and one of its best steelhead streams.
In addition, there is a destination golfing resort in the Pitt Polder area called Swan-e-set.
The area along the east side of the lake is somewhat notorious for being the reputed location ofSlumach'slost gold mine, the location of many failed and sometimes disastrous searches for the alleged murderer's lost gold mine. Local historianBill Barlee has said "that this highly colourful and interesting tale, accepted as fact by a host of treasure seekers, probably does not exist."[5]According to Barlee by the geological information available it would appear unlikely that a gold deposit would be found in the region of Pitt Lake. Historian Garnet Basque states that geologists are convinced that the region around Pitt Lake is not gold bearing.[6]The lost mine of Pitt Lake is a story without scientific support.
