Adams Lake
Adams Lake is a deep, cold-water lake in south-central British Columbia, which separates the Thompson and Shuswap regions and the Thompson–Nicola and Columbia–Shuswap regional districts. The upper reaches lie in the northern Monashee Mountains, while the lower end penetrates the Shuswap Highland. The southern end is by road about northeast of Kamloops.
Name origin
On Archibald MacDonald's 1827 map, the river is called "Choo-chooach". On S. Black's 1835 map, the lake is unnamed. First Nations Chief Sel-howt-kin, who lived on the lakeshore, became a Roman Catholic. When Father Nobli baptized him, he received the name Adam. Chief Adam was a prominent Secwepemc chief in the mid-nineteenth century. By most accounts, the lake is named after him. Adam died in the 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic, which, according to James Teit, killed over half the local Secwepemc population.Although Walter Moberly mentioned Adams Lake in his journal in July 1865, the earliest newspaper use of the name was September 1866. George Mercer Dawson surveyed the area in 1877, 1882, and 1898, producing maps during this period.
First Nations
s found upon rock faces on opposite sides of the lake at White Bluffs and north of Tshinakin Point indicate a cultural significance of the locations. Momich Lakes Provincial Park includes culturally modified trees. A small cave up the slope was a source of ochre, which when mixed with animal fat produces ceremonial paint. Evidence of a winter village at the lake outlet and archaeological sites between Woodpole and McIvor Points have been found, indicating the importance of salmon as a food source.The Adams Lake Band occupies the Hustalen Reserve at the southeast end of the lake, the adjacent Toops, and a small reserve at Squaam Bay. Members continue to hunt and pick berries at the north end of the lake, which is called Mumix in the Shuswap language.
Dimensions
According to one account, the lake is long and wide. The surface elevation is above sea level. The mean depth of and maximum depth of make the second deepest lake in BC and 7th deepest lake in the world by mean depth. Another account gives a maximum depth of and length of.The size and depth help trap sediments entering upstream from smaller tributaries and some erosion in the Hiuihill Creek valley. This keeps the water cool and clear, which benefits the salmon spawning habitat of the lower river.
Geology and topography
The lake divides the upper and lower parts of the Adams River. A main channel and a series of smaller channels of the river enter the lake through a narrow, curved, steep-sided valley. These steep slopes become gentler toward the southern end. Other significant tributaries are the Momich River and Bush Creek.The northwest side comprises granite igneous intrusions. These altered volcanic materials are usually grey in the lower part and green in the upper part of the series of schists. The latter also contain irregular beds of limestone.
Squaam Bay, on the west shore, is the only major indentation of the shoreline.
Forestry
The Interior Cedar-Hemlock zone continues south along both sides of the lake. The primary species are western redcedar, western hemlock, Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, hybrid white spruce, birch, and trembling aspen.In 1907, two Americans formed the Adams River Lumber Co, which secured
of timber limits.
During the early 1910s, the ARLC ran two steamboats on the lake and settlers operated three gasoline-powered boats. The ARLC paddle steamer A.R. Hellen towed logs to the dam during 1909–1925. An ARLC boat skipper gave his name to Mcleod Point on the east shore.
By 1912, timber close to the shoreline became depleted, requiring log flumes for trees farther up the slopes. In 1918, the Brennan Creek flume was erected midway up the west shore. A major logging camp existed on flat ground at the top of the flume. At various times, at least 24 ARLC logging camps were found throughout the Adams watershed.
The ARLC built wharfs at Brennan Creek and the head of the lake. In 1925, the ARLC ceased operations. Although a large economic setback for the valley, contractors continued supplying cedar poles to utility companies.
The federal forest service operated a ranger station 1906–1930 at the south end of the lake. During the 1920s and 1930s, their boat operated southward from Brennan Creek and the provincial service Aspen ran northward.
In 1942, Percy F. Tarry established a sawmill on the present mill site on the west shore at the south end of the lake. The next year, Arthur Holding became a partner. When destroyed by fire in 1945, the mill was rebuilt the same year, and the business was renamed the Holding Lumber Co.
In 1976, Interfor purchased the mill.
In the 2000s, logs continued to be barged down from a log sort area at Momich River and held in log booms at the mill. During 2007–2012, an extensive modernization cost in excess of $100 million. This included a biomass heating system installation to dry lumber and heat buildings, which consumes wood waste instead of natural gas.
During 2020–2021, a $4.3 million drying kiln was installed.
Dam
Just below the outlet of the lake, a high splash dam existed 1907–1921 to raise the lake level. In the late summer, the stored water was released to flush logs down the river to Little Shuswap Lake for the ARLC sawmill at Chase. In 1945, the dam was demolished. The dam not only impeded the early summer upper Adams salmon run from reaching its spawning area, but also harmed the late run sockeye of the lower river, because the log and water release scoured the river bottom, destroying salmon eggs.Ferries and bridge
Early settlers paddled their supplies along the lake. No regular steamer service existed. In the 1930s, George Todd of Squaam Bay carried light freight on the McLeod.In the 1920s, David Fraser worked on the A.R. Hellen, before later running his own tugboat business for freight and passengers. In 1927, he purchased gasoline launch Nola, which pushed scows and towed cedar poles. He later built a larger boat, retiring in 1972. Son Frank, who took over the business, retired in 1996.
During the mid-1930s, a punt guided by rope crossed the river at the north end of the lake, which was replaced by a basket aerial cable crossing.
In 1973–74, a bridge was erected across the river at the foot of the lake.
Adams Lake has been the site of two Secwepemc blockades, one in solidarity with the Kanesatake Mohawk in 1990, and the other in March 1995, to prevent the development of a 60-unit recreational vehicle park over a Secwepemc burial ground. That June, the free access to local residents was threatened. Once the road closed, the province brought a barge and tugboat from the Arrow Lakes in mid-July. The 7 am to 8 pm ferry service, which crossed the lake on the hour, provided the only access to about 50 families, who resided or owned recreational lots on the eastern side of the lake. The Adams Lake band blocked vehicle access by removing a cattle guard. In September, arson destroyed the wooden bridge over the river.
Throughout the winter, an ice-breaking tug kept a passage clear for the car ferry. Service increased to 11.5 hours daily and 16 hours on Thursdays and Fridays.
In December 1996, a new cable ferry was installed, operating 18 hours a day, seven days a week. However weight restrictions prevented the ferry from carrying cement trucks.
The 6:30 am to 1 am and 6:00 am to 1 am schedule was extended in August 1998 to 22 hours daily, with emergency service available at all times.
Around 2013, WaterBridge Ferries took over from Western Pacific Marine as the service provider.
The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure commissioned Capilano Maritime Design to partner with Waterbridge Steel Inc. in a design-build contract to supply four new cable ferries. In each, a John Deere 4045 diesel engine with 110kW output powers a DC alternator for onboard electrics and a radial piston hydraulic motor to a dual bullwheel traction winch.
Launched in 2017, the Adams Lake II was the first vessel to be delivered under the Waterbridge contract. The carrying capacity was 10 vehicles and 48 passengers.
The ferry operates under private contract with MOTI and is free of tolls, as are all inland ferries in British Columbia. Departures are on demand 24 hours per day, but 3 am to 5 am is emergencies only. The ferry capacity remains unchanged.
Communities
At present, the various communities comprise a mix of permanent and seasonal residents.North end
In the mid-1920s, the ARLC camp called the Depot closed with the company. In 1934, a group of about 50 Seventh Day Adventists from Grants Pass, Oregon, led by Doc Jenkins, established a community in the vicinity of the camp remnants. That summer, the SDAs built homes and a dual school/church about one kilometre from the lake. That winter, Hazel Newman, the leader's daughter, gave birth to a son, contracted pneumonia, and died soon after. Despite winter snow and a summer mosquito infestation, the community persevered for two more years, before dispersing.Over the decades, the log buildings have reduced to decayed remnants. The only lasting relic is the bronze plaque set in concrete above Hazel's grave. In 1974, Ken Harrison and his wife Carol purchased a property a few kilometres up from the lake. Three more families joined them but in like fashion left a few years later.
Momich River mouth
In 1907, Daniel L. Smith built a spacious ranch house called Cariboo Lodge as a hunting resort at the mouth of the Momich River. A few advertisements placed in eastern game magazines attracted a couple of parties in the fall. After closing for the winter, the hotel never reopened. Smith wintered in Kamloops, where he attempted to pass a forged US Treasury cheque. His true identity was found to be ex-Captain Daniel T. Keller, who had served with distinction in the US Army, but had already successfully cashed three such cheques in the US. After extradition, he received 40 years in Leavenworth.Over the years, trappers and miners established homesteads on the limited level, low ground at the river mouth.