In the early 1920s, the provincial government built dykes to channel the vedder river through the vedder canal to the fraser river. The repeat photograph was moved 200m southeast due to construction of the drainage canal, and dense tree growth. Increased demand for farmland and flooding problems on sumas lake led the farming community to petition the government to reclaim the lake bottom lands for agriculture. Yarrow is a small community located 90 kilometres east of vancouver within the city of chilliwack in british columbia, canada. Although controversial in nature, the sumas lake reclamation project was undertaken between 1919 and 1924, making. Oct 28, 2006 the dam was built and the reclamation project has now reached the stage where water will in 1952 be delivered to the arid lands of the great columbia basin project. The brothers incurred financial difficulties when their project to drain sumas lake proved unsuccessful. Sumas lake reclamation abbotsford, bc british columbia. In 1894, a major flood inundated much of the fraser valley.
In 1922 she worked on the sumas lake reclamation project. Produce of the mixed farming on this deep lake bottom land is an important factor in the economy. Mcgill queens univ prbritish columbias sumas lake was drained in the 1920s to create farmlands in the fraser valley. The area is predominantly agricultural, being bounded by the foothills of the north cascades range on the east, and the usacanada border to the north.
Apparently, john sampson 18581940 leased the vedder ranch circa 1895, living at the vedders homestead house, and sharing title to the property with the british columbia land and investment company. Acknowledgement for their contributions, support and counsel along the way, i am deeply grateful to. Plans to drain sumas lake had existed for 3040 years, previous to the 1920s scheme. In 1924, by a system of stream diversions, dams, dykes, canals and pumps, 33,000 acres of fertile land were reclaimed from sumas lake. British columbias sumas lake was drained in the 1920s to create farmlands in the fraser valley. With me will be stephanie bolster, reading from her wonderful manuscriptinprogress, long exposure, about, among many other things, the human catastrophe in the wake of hurricane katrina and images of same and their consumption, and barbara nickel, reading brand new poems about the draining of sumas lake in southwestern bc, with devastating consequences for the sto. More important, as the title of the book indicates, it offers a most welcome and challenging meditation on history and method. In conclusion, this book presents a multifaceted historical geography of the sumas lake area and the people associated with it. May 21, 2018 according to the flooding history put together by the chilliwack museum, with memories of the huge flood of 1894, the community felt protected after the sumas lake reclamation project, which. Featured projects clients have been coming to sumas since 1995 for their expertise in environmental and waste management services. I am of the age where i can still vividly recall the solitary white barrow house in the late 1950s, prior to the new highway 1 being completed in 1960, and for many years thereafter.
The goal, then, is the true reclamation of sumas lake. Sumas lake was major resource hub for locals before newcomers drained it in. The townsite was built on land reclaimed, in part, from sumas lake. However, for older valley residents, this house also represented a reason to have confidence in the sumas lake reclamation project, and all it represented. Barrow was the sumas lake reclamation project s slrp champion, and he ultimately saw it through to a successful conclusion, albeit not without significant controversy and ultimately personal political cost to him. Apparently, john sampson 18581940 leased the vedder ranch circa 1895, living at the vedders homestead house, and sharing title to the property with the. Columbia basin reclamation project, the beginnings. Before its colonization by white immigrants, bcs sumas lake played a vital role.
As the water reclamation phase of the project began, the parks department. Archival photos of the sumas reclamation project are available from the reach gallery musem in abbotsford at. Margins and mosquitoes recovers archival records from victoria to ottawa to explore flood lake involvements federally, provincially, and locally. This dyking project, which was completed in 1924, opened 12,000 acres 49 km. Begun in 1865 and completed in 1875, this highway continued to the north to cross vedder creek by way of a bridge, and to the west to skirt sumas lake on its way to fort langley. With this kit, discover the history of the sumas lake reclamation project and the continuing impact the. It must be understood that the persons named are not the only ones who took an active part in the promotion of this great project. The opening chapter reflects on the connection between historical and technological frontiers. The first opening reflects on the connection between historical and technological frontiers, while critiquing my creation of the attached hypercard stack disappearing a lake. Anglingbc for freshwater fishing and saltwater fishing in. The traditional territory of the sumas first nation, a band of the sto. Proposals to drain the lake came and went over the last half of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth.
The essay was developed into an ma history thesis, and then into this book. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. A collection of resources on sumas lake and its draining. Historical indian affairs interior john juan july jumanos kaworik lahontan valley land landscape living louisiana mansos and sumas mariachi ment mexican mexico mission mormon nafta naylor nevada newlands project north percent plains jumanos plaza pueblo pyramid lake pyramid lake indian reclamation report. A natural and human history of sumas valley by chad reimer halfmoon bay. Not having funding readily available to undertake such a project, the parks department obtained a state of texas loanstar saving taxes and resources loan to fund the project. Land of the diplodocus aka buckeye machine aka trench digger chronologically. With no concern for its aboriginal heritage, a reclamation project right was carried out in the 1920s to facilitate settlement, agriculture and highway development. Three projects are nearing completion, including an extention of the valley rail trail. Land reclamation schemes are designed to withstand the largest storms and minimize flood risk for the reclamation area and the city behind it.
The former sumas lake in the upper fraser valley of british columbia was drained in the 1920s to create farmland. Report by chief engineer on sumas reclamation project to may 31, 1923, 496, gr929. Finally, the reclamation actually happened, to the disbelief of the sema. Listening for pleasure discusses oral histories as they relate to the negotiated and contested space of sumas lake. Once drained, the sumas flats, or lake bed, was protected from flooding via the dyke systems. We have completed many successful projects for a number of clients in canada and overseas. C3 marches into october with a tour of the reachs fall. The socalled reclamation of the lake has been hailed as an. The book began with a hyper media essay incorporating texts. It was fed by the sumas river and sometimes by the chilliwack river, and its size varied throughout the year. The lake has been the home of the sumas first nation since time immemorial, and would return in a few days if the barrowtown pump station stopped running.
The silver lake mine safety closure project was an extremely remote project located at. A reclamation project aims to improve and restore the island lake state recreation area. Davidson was the engineer on the 1924 sumas lake reclamation project. Historically, people of the sumas sumaht and chilliwack ch. Jan 09, 2019 through the thousands of years of its existence, sumas lake played a central, determining role in the natural and human history of the region, its influence reaching out to the rest of bc and beyond. For thousands of years, the broad expanse between sumas and vedder. An acoustic quartet that plays original americana, country and bluegrass inspired folk music. As the first study concluded, the sumas reclamation project took an 8,000acre area of. The exhibition includes the history of first nations, survey and settlement, forestry, brickmaking, sumas drainage, agriculture, transportation and economy in abbotsford. City park water reclamation project texas comptroller of. The lake was also very expensive to drain and operate. The draining of the sumas lake was a big disadvantage for some like first nations because they used that lake for food,water and enjoyment so this was a big change for them and most of the first nations didnt like it. Local history kitsumas lake chilliwack museum and archives.
Building on the water reclaiming land skyscraperpage forum. Sumas first nation seeks compensation for its lost lake. He built his new house in 1928, and it represented the first time that colonial architectural style had made an appearance in chilliwack. The sumas reclamation project drained approximately 16,000 acres of rich agricultural land and 5,000 acres of steep hillside.
In 19011958 she was owned by the minister of public works, ottawa on. Local history kit sumas lake shop at chilliwack museum. According to the flooding history put together by the chilliwack museum, with memories of the huge flood of 1894, the community felt protected after the sumas lake reclamation project, which. Reclamation project moving forward at island lake rec area. Silver lake reclamation project 6 reclamation construction challenges a number of unique and challenging issues were encountered, and eventually overcome, during the life of the project. Each spring, sumas lake would flood from 10,000 acres to 30,000 acres from the chilliwack and vedder rivers flowing into it. The lake was also enjoyed by many people some loved swimming in it and others paddled around in canoes or fished. Select the monday of the week you would like to book the kit and select book. It is, as noted by dianne newell in the foreword, in the forefront of contemporary historical scholarship. In his new book, before we lost the lake, chad reimer sets out to truly reclaim sumas lake. Chad reimer is the author of before we lost the lake. Majuba hill consisted of the bench on vedder mountain situated south of sumas lake, and bisected by the yalewestminster highway.
Sumas lake was a shallow freshwater lake surrounded by extensive wetlands. Local historian chad reimers new book, before we lost the lake tells the story of the lake and long and often sordid process that finally led to the engineered transformation of lake and wetland into prairie. In 1923, the barrowtown pump station drained the reclaimed land reclaimed in the sumas drainage project. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. The village was first settled by mennonites in the late 1920s, following the draining of sumas lake and the reclamation of the former lake bed for agriculture. What began as a strategy to manage the spring freshets that inundated sumas prairie annually, resulted in a plan to drain sumas lake completely. Local history kit sumas lake shop at chilliwack museum and. Openings book fraser valley regional library bibliocommons. In his new book, before we lost the lake, chad reimer sets out to truly reclaim sumas lake, to restore it to its proper place in the history of the fraser valley, bc and the northwest coast. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Chad reimer hopes his book before we lost the lake will change that. The history of the lake is not limited to its death, nor can its storyline be confined to one theme, whether triumph or tragedy. Using the newly built system of canals and pumping stations, the water from sumas lake is pumped into the fraser river.
A gallery of early canadian dredges on the british. Until its drainage in the 1920s, the lake was a home, a recreational spot, and an abundant resource of wildlife. This event is the subject of laura camerons openings, a multifaceted exploration of the complex relationship between place and history. On one level it is a history of a lake and its reclamation. It continues operation today and is responsible for regulating the water levels in the sumas prairie. Its located in british columbia, canada the pirates of sumas lake. The silver lake mine safety closure project was an extremely remote project located at a historically treasured location. The chilliwack traded and affiliated with the salish tribes on the nooksack river of washington state by way of the old nooksack trail meandering between vedder mountain and sumas lake, and by way of. Sumas lake at bellerose station on the chilliwack bce line 1919 ewert, henry. Sumas lake filled the area between sumas mountain and vedder mountain.
One of the older homes from the early days of riverside drive still standing today is the stewart davidson house, at 46095 riverside drive. The sumas watershed improvement district is located in the eastern lowland area of whatcom county, to the north and east of the main nooksack river within wria 1. By examining the brutal death of sumas lake, historian chad reimer revives aspects of sto. With this kit, discover the history of the sumas lake reclamation project and the. Through the thousands of years of its existence, sumas lake played a central, determining role in the natural and human history of the region, its influence reaching out to the rest of bc and beyond. Openings a meditation on history, method, and sumas lake book. Sumas lake is now the sumas prairie the lake bed is dry. Plans were hampered by government bungling and business scams. The reachs curator of historical collections, kris foulds, completes the month on october 25 th at 10. It is in the fraser valley at the foot of vedder mountain. Named reclamation, the drainage was an act of irrevocable violence against the land and the sto. A natural and human history of sumas lake png merlin archive png.
The largest drainage project in the valley was the sumas reclamation scheme of the 1920s, when sumas lake was drained to create sumas prairie. Inspired by our permanent museum exhibition voices of the valley, this fun and educational selfguided activity uses photographs from the reach gallery museum archives. As part of the slrp, the fourmilelong vedder canal was completed in 1922. The project created more than sq km of fertile crop land. Sumas lake reclamation project view to north sumas lake in ca.
Sumas lake was drained in the 1920s, but its sealevel bed would be hard to drain in the event of a flood on sumas prairie. Freshet of 2018 evokes memories of the flood of 1948 bc. In order to explore the dynamic between history and place, i consider four methodological issues within the historical space of sumas lake, b. Another large freshet in 1891 made the 1875 log jam permanent, necessitating the construction of a new bridge over the river flowing down vedder creek. A few names have been mentioned in this short article. A meditation on history, method, and sumas lake laura cameron, ubc academic womens association mcgillqueens press mqup, sep 29, 1997 history 5 pages. The lake supplied food to the sumas band, and their life ways were intimately connected to it. Fraser valley dikes brought on the discovery of dinosaurs dinosaurs. When the sumas lake reclamation project rediverted the river into the vedder canal, the river was already comonly referred to as the vedder river. Challenge a major oil and gas producer wanted to obtain a reclamation certificate for an abandoned wellsite in southern alberta. This book sets out to tell the story of sumas lake s full life.
The michigan department of natural resources is proceeding with the project now that a mineral lease has. In 1919, sumas lake was drained to expand farm land and for flood control in the sumas prairie. The intention was to link an evolving landscape with stories and computers. The concluding chapter, one more byte, written from the perspective of a mosquito. Fraser valleys lost lake was at centre of local life for. Presenter kris foulds, curator of historical collections at the reach. Its a large size geocache, with difficulty of 4, terrain of 2. Approach cdr approaches land reclamation schemes in such a way that impact on the maritime environment is minimised, while proving new space to live, work and leisure.
On one level it is a history of a lake and its reclamation as seen from the perspectives of various groups native people, bureaucrats, families, farmers. Fraser valleys lost lake was at centre of local life for centuries. Lake history sumas lake was a body of water between sumas and vedder mountains which was drained in 1924 to create. Since its birth at the end of the last ice age, it was a spillway for the mighty fraser river and contiguous watercourses, an expandable basin to.
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