Mission Creek (British Columbia) Explained

Mission Creek
Name Other:Rivière de l'Anse-au-Sable
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:Canada
Subdivision Type2:State
Subdivision Name2:British Columbia
Subdivision Type4:District
Subdivision Name4:Central Okanagan
Subdivision Type5:City
Subdivision Name5:Kelowna
Length:75km (47miles)
Discharge1 Location:Lake Okanagan
Discharge1 Avg:6.81m3/s
Source1 Location:British Columbia, Canada
Mouth Location:British Columbia, Canada
Mouth Coordinates:49.8425°N -119.4936°W
Basin Size:860km2

Mission Creek is a large creek in the Okanagan Region of British Columbia. Originally called N'wha-kwi-sen (smoothing stones), it was later mapped as Rivière de l’Anse-au-Sable (Sandy Bay River), the name Mission Creek was adopted in 1860 in honour of the Catholic Oblate Mission established by Father Pandosy and other settlers.The Creek rises in the Greystoke Mountain Range and runs west about 43km (27miles) before emptying into Okanagan Lake south of Kelowna.[1] Its watershed covers about 200000km2.[1] Mission Creek was designated a BC Heritage River by the province in 1996.[2]

Kokanee

Mission Creek is the main spawning channel of Kokanee. The landlocked salmon likely made their way into the Okanagan when a remnant of Glacial Lake Penticton was connected by streams to the Pacific Ocean.[3]

Mission Creek Greenway

The Mission Creek Greenway is a linear park extending along the creek from the shores of Okanagan Lake to Mission Creek Falls.Geological features along the trail are numerous and diverse, including; Layer Cake Hill, the Pinnacle, the White Lake Formation, hoodoos, exposures of ancient river systems and gigantic boulders dropped by the Fraser Glacier.[4]

Channelization

Mission Creek has been heavily modified through narrowing of the channel by the building of dikes for flood control from East Kelowna Bridge to the river mouth atOkanagan Lake. The Mission Creek channel has lost natural alluvial geomorphic processes (riffles, stream pools, and meanders), connection to the floodplain and wetlands, fish spawning and incubation habitats, diverse fish rearing habitats, diverse overwintering habitats, and fish refuge from high velocity water.[5]

In 1938, much of the Mission Creek channel was significantly wider than it is currently, up to a maximum of 120m (390feet).The channel narrowed to 50m (160feet) from when dyking was completed in 1951 until sometime between 1973 and 1986 when the channel narrowed to 35m (115feet). By 2006, channel width had decreased to 30m (100feet).[5]

Mining

The creek was first mined in the 1870s. Later people such as Dan Gallagher mined the creek until the 1940s. British Columbia historian Bill Barlee believes the lost McLean Mine is located between the headwaters of Mission Creek and Monashee Creek. McLean was a First Nations prospector who lived near Kelowna.Placer mining occurred in Mission Creek around the early 20th century.[5]

Bridges

Several bridges span the Mission Creek. Here is a list starting from Lake Okanagan:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mission Creek. British Columbia, Ministry of Environment. 2015-02-10.
  2. Web site: About Mission Creek. Mission Creek Restoration Initiative. 2015-02-10.
  3. Book: Murray A. , Roed . Roed. Murray A.. Okanagan Geology: British Columbia. Okanagan Geology Committee. 1995. 25. Chapter 9: Geologic Landmarks of the Kelowna Area. 978-0-9699795-4-8.
  4. Book: Murray A. , Roed . Roed. Murray A.. Okanagan Geology: British Columbia. Okanagan Geology Committee. 1995. 25. Chapter 3: Physiographic Divisions. 978-0-9699795-4-8.
  5. Dr. Leif M. Burge . and . --> . March 2009 . Analysis of Sedimentation and Sediment Mitigation Strategies for Mission Creek . City of Kelowna Environment Division . Kelowna, British Columbia . 2016-02-24 .
  6. Web site: Lakeshore Road Upgrades. City of Kelowna. 2015-02-10.
  7. Web site: Gordon Bridge (over Mission Creek) project info. City of Kelowna.