Similkameen River

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Similkameen River
Similkameen River.jpg
The Similkameen River near Keremeos
Location
Country Canada, United States
State Washington
Province British Columbia
Physical characteristics
Length197 km (122 mi)
Basin size7,600 km2 (2,900 sq mi) [1]

The Similkameen River runs through southern British Columbia, Canada, eventually discharging into the Okanagan River near Oroville, Washington, in the United States. [2] [3] Through the Okanagan River, it drains to the Columbia River. The river is said to be named for an indigenous people called Similkameigh, meaning "treacherous waters". [4]

Contents

The river is controversially dammed (the now-defunct Enloe Dam), blocking fish passage to the upper (Canadian) reaches of the river. [5] [6]

History

The first mention of the Similkameen by a European was by Alexander Ross. While on a trading expedition, he travelled by way of the "Similkameigh River." Sir George Simpson used the name "Similkameigh" for one of the groups part of the Okanagan Nation. The transition from Similkameigh to Similkameen may have been inspired by the name of the Tulameen River despite being etymologically incorrect. The name Similkameigh comes from a now-extinct language of Nicola-Similkameen, of the Athapascan languages, and is believed to mean "Salmon River." [7]

Geography

Course

It starts at Nordheim Peak, on the east flank of Manning Park, about 10.3 km (6.4 mi) north of Allison Pass and flows past the settlements of East Gate, Princeton, Hedley, Keremeos, and Cawston, closely followed by Highway 3, the Crowsnest Highway. About 25 km (16 mi) upstream from Princeton, the river drops over Similkameen Falls. Numerous viewpoints of the river occur from the highway, the most popular being Bromley Rock, where swimming in the river from a spectacular sandy beach is possible. In a typical Okanagan, BC summer, the water is warm and fantastic for swimming. It contributes 75% of the flow of the Okanogan River and crosses the international border at Nighthawk, Washington.

Flow

The United States Geological Survey maintains a stream gauge at river mile 15.8, just upstream from the Oroville–Tonasket Irrigation District canal intake. The river's discharge (flow) at this point averages 2,283 cubic feet per second (64.6 m3/s), with a recorded maximum of 45,800 cu ft/s (1,300 m3/s) and minimum of 65 cu ft/s (1.8 m3/s). [8]

Enloe Dam

The Enloe Dam, completed in 1920, is located just above the river's mouth. [9] The river, after flowing over the dam, drops over what is left of Coyote Falls. Lacking fish ladders, Enloe Dam blocks fish passage and completely extirpated anadromous fish migration into the upper reaches of the Similkameen River and its tributaries in Canada. [10] However, Coyote Falls is 20 feet tall thus making it impossible for salmon (who can only jump 12 feet) to migrate further than that point and would never reach the dam. [11]

International

Cliffs above the Similkameen near Nighthawk, Washington Cliffs near Nighthawk WA.jpg
Cliffs above the Similkameen near Nighthawk, Washington

The Similkameen River subject to international water-sharing agreements governed by the International Joint Commission as part of the Columbia Basin. The authority responsible for overseeing the IJC agreements is the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control, composed of appointees from Environment Canada, the BC Ministry of Water, Land Air Protection, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Geological Survey, and private consultants. [12]

Major tributaries

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Keremeos is a village in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The name originated from the Similkameen dialect of the Okanagan language word "Keremeyeus" meaning "creek which cuts its way through the flats" referring to Keremeos Creek which flows down from the Upper Benchlands to the Similkameen River that flows past the village.

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School District 53 Okanagan Similkameen is a school district that serves fragments of the southern Okanagan and lower Similkameen regions, which include Cawston, Hedley, Keremeos, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, and Osoyoos, totaling to six communities in the district, all of which are in British Columbia, Canada. Its main "maintenance department" office is held in Oliver, consisting of ten schools, five of which are elementary, three are high or secondary schools, while two are alternative schools. This district's superintendent is Marcus Toneatto, while 2,665 students attend schools in it; there are 480 employees for the Okanagan Simlkammen school district. Their motto is "Learning Today for Living Tomorrow", and all places within the district are towns or villages.

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The Okanagan Trail was an inland route to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush from the Lower Columbia region of the Washington and Oregon Territories in 1858–1859. The route was essentially the same as that used by the Hudson's Bay Company fur brigades, following the Columbia River to the confluence of the Okanogan River, and then up that river's watercourse via Osoyoos, Skaha (Dog) and Okanagan lakes, then using a pass via Monte Creek to Fort Kamloops, at the confluence of the North and South Thompson rivers. From there, the route went west down the Thompson River either to the lower gold-bearing bars of the Fraser River between what is now Lytton, British Columbia and Yale, British Columbia, or via Hat Creek and Marble Canyon to the upper Fraser goldfields around present-day Lillooet, British Columbia. A shorter branch-route to the lower Thompson and lower Fraser Canyon diverged from the main route at the confluence of the Similkameen River and the Okanogan. Cayoosh and The Fountains are today's Lillooet, British Columbia and environs.

The Lower Similkameen Indian Band or Lower Smelqmix, is a First Nations band government in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Their office was in the village of Keremeos in the Similkameen region, until 2015 when they moved into their own $7million multi-purpose facility south of Cawston. They are a member of the Okanagan Nation Alliance.

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The Similkameen Country, also referred to as the Similkameen Valley or Similkameen District, but generally referred to simply as The Similkameen or more archaically, Similkameen, is a region roughly coinciding with the basin of the river of the same name in the Southern Interior of British Columbia. The term "Similkameen District" also refers to the Similkameen Mining District, a defunct government administrative district, which geographically encompasses the same area, and in more casual terms may also refer to the Similkameen electoral district, which was combined with the Grand Forks-Greenwood riding by the time of the 1966 election. The Similkameen Country has deep historical connections to the Boundary Country and the two are sometimes considered one region, partly as a result of the name of the electoral district. It is also sometimes classed as being part of the Okanagan region, which results from shared regional district and other administrative boundaries and names. The term "Similkameen District" may also historically refer to the Similkameen Division Yale Land District, which also includes Osoyoos and the Boundary Country to Osoyoos' east.

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Chopaka is an unincorporated community in the Similkameen region of south central British Columbia. Immediately north of the Canada–United States border, the population centre is on the west shore of the Similkameen River. The Nighthawk–Chopaka Border Crossing lies to the east. Off BC Highway 3, the locality is by road about 96 kilometres (60 mi) southeast of Princeton and 75 kilometres (47 mi) south of Penticton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enloe Dam and Powerplant</span> Dam in Okanogan County, Washington

The Enloe Dam, also known as the Similkameen Dam, and its powerplant are located on the Similkameen River about 4 miles (6.4 km) west-northwest of Oroville, Washington. Located just above Similkameen (Coyote) Falls, the concrete arch-gravity dam stands about 54 feet (16 m) high, with a crest length of about 290 feet (88 m), built between 1916 and 1923. The dam was named after the president of the Okanogan Valley Power Company, Eugene Enloe. The dam was operated to generate power at its powerplant, located about 850 feet (260 m) downstream from the dam. Lacking fish ladders, Enloe Dam blocks fish passage and completely extirpated anadromous fish migration into the upper reaches of the Similkameen River and its tributaries in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Okanagan—Similkameen National Park Reserve</span> Proposed national park reserve in British Columbia, Canada

South Okanagan—Similkameen National Park Reserve is a proposed national park reserve in the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen of British Columbia. The goal of the park is to work with the local First Nations to protect a large patch of Okanagan dry forests and part of the northern reach of the Columbia Plateau ecoregion in Canada.

References

  1. ↑ "Okanogan Subbasin Plan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-02.
  2. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Similkameen River
  3. ↑ "Similkameen River". BC Geographical Names .
  4. ↑ Bright, William (2004). Native American placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 444. ISBN   978-0-8061-3598-4 . Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  5. ↑ "Restoring the Similkameen River by Removing Enloe Dam". 14 September 2015.
  6. ↑ "Call to break U.S. Dam so salmon can return to Similkameen River in B.C."
  7. ↑ V., G.P.; Akrigg, Helen B. (1997). British Columbia Place Names (Third ed.). Vancouver: UBC Press. p.  244. ISBN   0-7748-0637-0.
  8. ↑ "Water resources data for the United States, Water Year 2010; gage 12442500, Similkameen River near Nighthawk, WA" (PDF). USGS . Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Dam". Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
  10. ↑ "Similkameen River". Archived from the original on 2022-03-29.
  11. ↑ "Similkameen River Wa - Enloe License Summary p-12569.pdf" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "Annual Report to the International Joint Commission from the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control, 2004" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-09-06.

48°53′30″N119°25′49″W / 48.89167°N 119.43028°W / 48.89167; -119.43028

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