Blue River, British Columbia

Last updated

Blue River
Canada British Columbia location map 2.svg
Red pog.svg
Blue River
Location of Blue River in British Columbia
Coordinates: 52°06′00″N119°18′00″W / 52.100°N 119.300°W / 52.100; -119.300 (Blue River)
Country Canada
Province British Columbia
Regional District Thompson-Nicola RD
Population
 (2016) [1]
  Total157

Blue River is a small community in British Columbia, situated on British Columbia Highway 5 about halfway between Kamloops and Jasper, Alberta, located at the confluence of the Blue and North Thompson Rivers. [2] The local economy is supported by logging, tourism and transportation industries.

Contents

Geography

Blue River lies in a wide, gravelly part of the North Thompson River valley. Its podzolic soils are strongly acidic and coarse, with abundant sand, gravel and stones. Drainage is not as rapid as would be expected from the soils' coarse texture because the subsoils tend to be cemented.

The forests and mountains around Blue River have plentiful big game such as deer, moose, black bear, grizzly bear, and caribou. Birds include osprey, eagle, woodpecker and raven. The mountain pine beetle has become the area's most significant insect.

Lodgepole pine is the most common tree at Blue River, although its population has been severely reduced by the mountain pine beetle. Other common native conifers are Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, western hemlock and western red cedar. Among deciduous trees, the black cottonwood is largest; trembling aspen and paper birch are also prominent. Non-native trees which may be seen in Blue River include green ash, littleleaf linden, silver maple, and Norway maple. Sugar maple, burr oak, northern red oak and butternut formerly thrived at the CNR Gardens.

Climate

Blue River has a continental climate which is subject to frequent modification by maritime air masses from the Pacific Ocean. The area is part of the world's only interior temperate rainforest that occupies parts of eastern British Columbia. Heavy and deep snow falls most winters. The most severe cold spells may send thermometer readings below -40 °C/F. Rain is frequent in other seasons. Summer days are warm or occasionally hot, with thunderstorms often spawning over the nearby mountains.

Climate data for Blue River Airport; elevation 683m
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high humidex 8.511.118.727.632.242.439.738.734.525.215.08.042.4
Record high °C (°F)8.6
(47.5)
11.0
(51.8)
19.4
(66.9)
28.0
(82.4)
33.0
(91.4)
40.3
(104.5)
37.5
(99.5)
37.8
(100.0)
33.6
(92.5)
25.5
(77.9)
16.1
(61.0)
10.0
(50.0)
40.3
(104.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)−3.5
(25.7)
0.4
(32.7)
6.1
(43.0)
11.9
(53.4)
17.6
(63.7)
21.1
(70.0)
24.0
(75.2)
24.2
(75.6)
18.3
(64.9)
9.2
(48.6)
0.9
(33.6)
−3.7
(25.3)
10.5
(50.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)−7.3
(18.9)
−4.4
(24.1)
0.5
(32.9)
5.2
(41.4)
10.2
(50.4)
14.0
(57.2)
16.4
(61.5)
16.0
(60.8)
11.0
(51.8)
4.5
(40.1)
−1.9
(28.6)
−7.1
(19.2)
4.8
(40.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)−11.0
(12.2)
−9.1
(15.6)
−5.2
(22.6)
−1.6
(29.1)
2.8
(37.0)
6.9
(44.4)
8.8
(47.8)
7.7
(45.9)
3.7
(38.7)
−0.2
(31.6)
−4.6
(23.7)
−10.5
(13.1)
−1.0
(30.2)
Record low °C (°F)−44.0
(−47.2)
−37.8
(−36.0)
−30.0
(−22.0)
−15.6
(3.9)
−6.8
(19.8)
−2.7
(27.1)
0.6
(33.1)
−3.5
(25.7)
−7.2
(19.0)
−20.0
(−4.0)
−36.9
(−34.4)
−44.8
(−48.6)
−44.8
(−48.6)
Record low wind chill −44.2−41.8−33.1−16.4−7.4−2.10.00.0−5.9−25.2−37.8−42.8−44.2
Average precipitation mm (inches)105.4
(4.15)
53.8
(2.12)
64.7
(2.55)
58.7
(2.31)
75.8
(2.98)
98.8
(3.89)
107.3
(4.22)
82.4
(3.24)
71.3
(2.81)
102.5
(4.04)
115.2
(4.54)
88.4
(3.48)
1,024.4
(40.33)
Average rainfall mm (inches)21.3
(0.84)
17.6
(0.69)
35.8
(1.41)
52.7
(2.07)
75.6
(2.98)
98.8
(3.89)
107.3
(4.22)
82.4
(3.24)
71.3
(2.81)
94.0
(3.70)
49.5
(1.95)
13.5
(0.53)
719.7
(28.33)
Average snowfall cm (inches)113.5
(44.7)
49.5
(19.5)
38.3
(15.1)
7.0
(2.8)
0.4
(0.2)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
10.0
(3.9)
82.4
(32.4)
103.4
(40.7)
404.4
(159.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)17.914.215.915.816.718.917.715.114.318.019.518.0201.9
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)5.05.410.314.516.718.917.715.114.316.99.53.4147.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)16.611.59.33.20.30.00.00.00.02.813.317.374.2
Average relative humidity (%)84.475.560.347.743.147.046.646.153.369.485.885.162.0
Mean monthly sunshine hours 39.363.0102.4153.2195.5191.3216.6216.2161.382.033.529.51,483.8
Percent possible sunshine 15.322.627.936.840.238.343.147.642.324.812.612.130.3
Source 1: [3]
Source 2: [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidney, British Columbia</span> Town in British Columbia, Canada

Sidney is a town located at the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula, on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia. It is one of the thirteen Greater Victoria municipalities. It has a population of approximately 11,583. Sidney is located just east of Victoria International Airport, and about 6 km (4 mi) south of BC Ferries' Swartz Bay Terminal. The town is also the only Canadian port-of-call in the Washington State Ferries system, with ferries running from Sidney to the San Juan Islands and Anacortes. Sidney is located along Highway 17, which bisects the town from north to south. It is generally considered part of the Victoria metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summerland, British Columbia</span> Town in British Columbia, Canada

Summerland is a district municipality on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The district is between Peachland to the north and Penticton to the south. The largest centre in the region is Kelowna, approximately 50 km (31 mi) to the north, and Vancouver is approximately 425 km (264 mi) away to the west. The district is famous for "Bottleneck drive", a system of roads connecting various wineries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creston, British Columbia</span> Town in British Columbia, Canada

Creston is a town in the Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langford, British Columbia</span> City in British Columbia, Canada

Langford is a city on southern Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Langford is one of the 13 component municipalities of Greater Victoria and is within the Capital Regional District. Langford was incorporated in 1992 and has a population of over 40,000 people. Its municipal neighbours are Colwood to the southeast, Highlands to the north, Metchosin to the southwest, and View Royal to the northeast.

The District of North Saanich is located on the Saanich Peninsula of British Columbia, approximately 25 km (16 mi) north of Victoria on southern Vancouver Island. It is one of the 13 Greater Victoria municipalities. The district is surrounded on three sides by 20 km (12 mi) of ocean shoreline, and consists of rural/residential areas and a large agricultural base. It is home to the Victoria International Airport and the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of British Columbia</span>

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada, bordered by the Pacific Ocean. With an area of 944,735 km2 (364,764 sq mi) it is Canada's third-largest province. The province is almost four times the size of the United Kingdom and larger than every United States state except Alaska. It is bounded on the northwest by the U.S. state of Alaska, directly north by Yukon and the Northwest Territories, on the east by Alberta, and on the south by the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Formerly part of the British Empire, the southern border of British Columbia was established by the 1846 Oregon Treaty. The province is dominated by mountain ranges, among them the Canadian Rockies but dominantly the Coast Mountains, Cassiar Mountains, and the Columbia Mountains. Most of the population is concentrated on the Pacific coast, notably in the area of Vancouver, located on the southwestern tip of the mainland, which is known as the Lower Mainland. It is the most mountainous province of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California mixed evergreen forest</span> Plant community in California and Oregon, US

California mixed evergreen forest is a plant community found in the mountain ranges of California and southwestern Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boreal Shield Ecozone (CEC)</span> Largest ecozone in Canada, stretching from Saskatchewan to Newfoundland

The Boreal Shield Ecozone, as defined by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), is the largest ecozone in Canada. Covering 1.8 million square kilometres it covers almost 20% of Canada's landmass, stretching from northern Saskatchewan to Newfoundland.

Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park is a provincial park covering parts of the eastern Kitimat Ranges, northern Pacific Ranges, and the Rainbow Range in British Columbia, Canada. It was established on May 21, 1938 in the western interior of the province, to protect its important natural features. The park hosts a variety of recreation activities for visitors. This park encompasses a range of diverse species in this park including bears, moose, and various fish. There are also a few at risk species in this park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests</span> Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of the United States

The Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests is an ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund. It consists of mesophytic plants west of the Appalachian Mountains in the Southeastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appalachian–Blue Ridge forests</span> Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of the United States

The Appalachian–Blue Ridge forests are an ecoregion in the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Biome, in the Eastern United States. The ecoregion is located in the central and southern Appalachian Mountains, including the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It covers an area of about 61,500 square miles (159,000 km2) in: northeast Alabama and Georgia, northwest South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and central West Virginia and Pennsylvania; and small extensions into Kentucky, New Jersey, and New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forests of the Iberian Peninsula</span> Overview of forests of the Iberian Peninsula

The woodlands of the Iberian Peninsula are distinct ecosystems on the Iberian Peninsula. Although the various regions are each characterized by distinct vegetation, the borders between these regions are not clearly defined, and there are some similarities across the peninsula.

The biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia are units of a classification system used by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests for the Canadian province's fourteen different broad, climatic ecosystems. The classification system, termed Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification, exists independently of other ecoregion systems, one created by the World Wildlife Fund and the other in use by Environment Canada, which is based on one created by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) and also in use by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The system of biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification was partly created for the purpose of managing forestry resources, but is also in use by the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and other provincial agencies. A biogeoclimatic zone is defined as "a geographic area having similar patterns of energy flow, vegetation and soils as a result of a broadly homogenous macroclimate."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecology of the North Cascades</span> Ecosystems of the Cascade mountain range in northern Washington state and southern British Columbia

The Ecology of the North Cascades is heavily influenced by the high elevation and rain shadow effects of the mountain range. The North Cascades is a section of the Cascade Range from the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River in Washington, United States, to the confluence of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers in British Columbia, Canada, where the range is officially called the Cascade Mountains but is usually referred to as the Canadian Cascades. The North Cascades Ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion in the Commission for Environmental Cooperation's classification system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecotourism in the United States</span>

Ecotourism in the United States is commonly practiced in protected areas such as national parks and nature reserves. The principles and behaviors of ecotourism are slowly becoming more widespread in the United States; for example, hotels in some regions strive to be more sustainable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Pacific coastal forests</span> Temperate coniferous forests ecoregion in Canada and the United States

The Central Pacific coastal forests is a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion located in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) categorization system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecology of the Rocky Mountains</span> Ecology of the Rocky Mountain range in North America

The ecology of the Rocky Mountains is diverse due to the effects of a variety of environmental factors. The Rocky Mountains are the major mountain range in western North America, running from the far north of British Columbia in Canada to New Mexico in the southwestern United States, climbing from the Great Plains at or below 1,800 feet (550 m) to peaks of over 14,000 feet (4,300 m). Temperature and rainfall varies greatly also and thus the Rockies are home to a mixture of habitats including the alpine, subalpine and boreal habitats of the Northern Rocky Mountains in British Columbia and Alberta, the coniferous forests of Montana and Idaho, the wetlands and prairie where the Rockies meet the plains, a different mix of conifers on the Yellowstone Plateau in Wyoming, the montane forests of Utah, and in the high Rockies of Colorado and New Mexico, and finally the alpine tundra of the highest elevations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park</span> Provincial park in British Columbia, Canada

South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on Highway 40 northwest of Lillooet, British Columbia. The park, which is 56,796 ha. in size, was established on April 18, 2001, and It was created out of a portion of the Spruce Lake Protected Area. The park is located on three Indigenous Nations: The Tsilhqot’in, St’at’imc, and Secwepemc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ponderosa pine forest</span> Plant community where Pinus ponderosa is common

Ponderosa pine forest is a plant association and plant community dominated by ponderosa pine and found in western North America. It is found from the British Columbia to Durango, Mexico. In the south and east, ponderosa pine forest is the climax forest, while in the more northern part of its range, it can transition to Douglas-fir or grand fir, or white fir forests. Understory species depends on location. Fire suppression has led to insect outbreaks in ponderosa pine forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Juan Valley (Vancouver Island)</span> Valley in British Columbia, Canada

The San Juan Valley is a small valley located in the Capital Regional District of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

References

  1. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (February 8, 2017). "Census Profile, 2016 Census - Blue River, Unincorporated place [Designated place], British Columbia and British Columbia [Province]". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  2. "Blue River". BC Geographical Names .
  3. "Calculation Information for 1981 to 2010 Canadian Normals Data". Environment Canada. Archived from the original on July 1, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
  4. https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?StationID=8214&timeframe=2&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2023&Day=1&Year=2021&Month=6 [ bare URL ]