Hatzic Lake
Encyclopedia
Hatzic Lake is an oxbow lake
adjoining the Fraser River
on the east side of Mission, British Columbia
, Canada
, immediately below that district municipality's neighbourhood of Hatzic, which is on a benchland above and to the west of the lake. Its waters subject to flood control, it is no longer natural as the land in the centre of the oxbow, Hatzic Island
, is a relatively densely-populated suburban and recreational community. The length of the lake, on its north-south axis, is approximately 3.7 km, while Hatzic Island is approximately 2.6 km in length, with the widest parts of the lake off the northern end of the oblong island at about 775 m. The width of the lake inclusive from its extreme west to east is about 2.5 km. BC Highway 7
and the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway
cross its southern end, just south of the southernmost parts of Hatzic Island.
The west shore of the lake is in the District of Mission, while the rest is unincorporated area, including Hatzic Island, municipal-type services for which are administered by the Fraser Valley Regional District
. North of the lake the floodplain is called Hatzic Prairie an agricultural area which continues northwards between the uplands of Mission Municipality (W) and the bulk of Dewdney Peak
(E), which is known locally as Hatzic Mountain and includes the small settlement of Durieu
.
The lake is very shallow and warm and is popular for swimming, water sports and water-skiing and in addition to a large number of private residences has a few commercial campgrounds. A municipal park is located on the western shore of the lake within the District of Mission.
Oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
adjoining the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
on the east side of Mission, British Columbia
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, immediately below that district municipality's neighbourhood of Hatzic, which is on a benchland above and to the west of the lake. Its waters subject to flood control, it is no longer natural as the land in the centre of the oxbow, Hatzic Island
Hatzic Island
Hatzic Island is an island located in the centre of Hatzic Lake, an oxbow lake formation adjoining the Fraser River just east of Mission, British Columbia, Canada...
, is a relatively densely-populated suburban and recreational community. The length of the lake, on its north-south axis, is approximately 3.7 km, while Hatzic Island is approximately 2.6 km in length, with the widest parts of the lake off the northern end of the oblong island at about 775 m. The width of the lake inclusive from its extreme west to east is about 2.5 km. BC Highway 7
British Columbia provincial highway 7
Highway 7, known for most of its length as the Lougheed Highway, is an alternative route to Highway 1 through the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia...
and the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
cross its southern end, just south of the southernmost parts of Hatzic Island.
The west shore of the lake is in the District of Mission, while the rest is unincorporated area, including Hatzic Island, municipal-type services for which are administered by the Fraser Valley Regional District
Fraser Valley Regional District
The Fraser Valley Regional District is a regional district in British Columbia, Canada. The FVRD covers an area of 13,361.74 km²...
. North of the lake the floodplain is called Hatzic Prairie an agricultural area which continues northwards between the uplands of Mission Municipality (W) and the bulk of Dewdney Peak
Dewdney Peak
Dewdney Peak is the southwesternmost summit of the Douglas Ranges in the Lower Mainland of southern British Columbia, Canada. Located immediately above the community of the same name, from whence it got its name, it is generally known in the area unofficially as Hatzic Mountain, in relation to...
(E), which is known locally as Hatzic Mountain and includes the small settlement of Durieu
Durieu, British Columbia
Durieu is a farming community, located on Hatzic Prairie northeast of Mission, British Columbia, Canada in the Fraser Valley region of that province's Lower Mainland. Also known locally as Hatzic Prairie, it has few services other than a store, feed co-op, school and community hall.The community...
.
The lake is very shallow and warm and is popular for swimming, water sports and water-skiing and in addition to a large number of private residences has a few commercial campgrounds. A municipal park is located on the western shore of the lake within the District of Mission.