Tatla Lake, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Tatla Lake is a small unincorporated community in the west Chilcotin
area of British Columbia
, Canada
, located at the west end of its eponymous lake
. Situated 220 km west of Williams Lake along Highway 20 (Chilcotin Highway), Tatla Lake's 123 people live approximately half-way between the two ends of the highway; Williams Lake
to the east and the coastal community of Bella Coola
to the west. The community is the service centre for three major mountain valleys of West Branch, Chilko
and Tatlayoko
. These valleys extend southward via secondary roads to the south.
(Chilcotin) First Nations
people. Ranching began in 1890 with the advent of early pioneers. Robert Graham arrived in the country in 1901 and purchased the Tatla Lake place from Benny Franklin in 1902. The Grahams built a fine new house as well as a new store in 1930. The house is now the Graham Inn, long known for serving excellent meals to hungry travelers on the highway. A post office was established on the Graham Ranch in 1914 with Mrs. Graham as postmistress for mail that only came once a month at first. The Grahams' son William, was the first baby born in the new log hospital at Alexis Creek in 1915. Over the years a school, community hall, and nursing station were added.
, and some of the largest mountains in British Columbia are found to the West including Mount Waddington
- the tallest mountain within British Columbia
borders. The Coast Mountains
block most of the moisture traveling off the Pacific Ocean
leaving the entire Chilcotin region in a rain shadow
. Tatla Lake is the westernmost location for many semi-arid plants like Prickly Pear Cactus and Rabbit Brush.
During the winter the Tatla Lake valley is much colder than the surrounding plateau and valleys as the cold air sinks creating strong temperature inversions. The nearby weather station at Puntzi recorded a low of -52.8°C (-63°F) on December 29, 1968. During the winters chinook
winds blow up the coastal valleys, but often pass over Tatla Lake leaving the community in a deep freeze. This occurs because the Tatla Lake drainage system flows east, while the neighboring valleys flow west through the Coast Mountains.
Source: Environment Canada, Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1971-2000
Chilcotin District
The Chilcotin District of British Columbia is usually known simply as "the Chilcotin", and also in speech commonly as "the Chilcotin Country" or simply Chilcotin. It is a plateau and mountain region in British Columbia on the inland lea of the Coast Mountains on the west side of the Fraser River....
area of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, 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...
, located at the west end of its eponymous lake
Tatla Lake
Tatla Lake is a freshwater lake in the West Chilcotin area of British Columbia, Canada, situated just east of the community of Tatla Lake, British Columbia. This long, narrow lake, known for good Kokanee fishing, is part of the Fraser River drainage basin....
. Situated 220 km west of Williams Lake along Highway 20 (Chilcotin Highway), Tatla Lake's 123 people live approximately half-way between the two ends of the highway; Williams Lake
Williams Lake, British Columbia
Williams Lake, is a city in the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the central part of a region known as the Cariboo, it is the largest urban centre between Kamloops and Prince George, with a population of 11,150 in city limits....
to the east and the coastal community of Bella Coola
Bella Coola, British Columbia
Bella Coola is a community of approximately 600 at the western extremity of the Bella Coola Valley. Bella Coola usually refers to the entire valley, encompassing the settlements of Bella Coola proper , Lower Bella Coola, Hagensborg, Saloompt, Nusatsum, Firvale and Stuie...
to the west. The community is the service centre for three major mountain valleys of West Branch, Chilko
Chilko River
The Chilko River is a 75 km waterway in the Chilcotin District of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, connecting Chilko Lake to the Chilcotin River. Its main tributary is the Taseko River....
and Tatlayoko
Tatlayoko Lake
Tatlayoko Lake is a lake on the Homathko River in the western Chilcotin District of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, located on a north-south axis just upstream of the entrance of the series of canyons of the Homathko, including the Great Canyon of the Homathko, on its route to the...
. These valleys extend southward via secondary roads to the south.
History
The first people to live in Tatla Lake were the Tsilhqot'inTsilhqot'in
The Tsilhqot'in are a Northern Athabaskan First Nations people that live in British Columbia, Canada...
(Chilcotin) First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
people. Ranching began in 1890 with the advent of early pioneers. Robert Graham arrived in the country in 1901 and purchased the Tatla Lake place from Benny Franklin in 1902. The Grahams built a fine new house as well as a new store in 1930. The house is now the Graham Inn, long known for serving excellent meals to hungry travelers on the highway. A post office was established on the Graham Ranch in 1914 with Mrs. Graham as postmistress for mail that only came once a month at first. The Grahams' son William, was the first baby born in the new log hospital at Alexis Creek in 1915. Over the years a school, community hall, and nursing station were added.
Geography
Tatla Lake is situated on the western edge of the Chilcotin PlateauChilcotin Plateau
The Chilcotin Plateau is part of the Fraser Plateau, a major subdivision of the Interior Plateau of British Columbia. The Chilcotin Plateau is physically near-identical with the region of the same name, i.e...
, and some of the largest mountains in British Columbia are found to the West including Mount Waddington
Mount Waddington
Mount Waddington, once known as Mystery Mountain, is the highest peak in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Although Mount Fairweather and Mount Quincy Adams, which straddle the US border between Alaska and British Columbia are taller, Mount Waddington is the highest peak that lies...
- the tallest mountain within British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
borders. The Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
block most of the moisture traveling off the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
leaving the entire Chilcotin region in a rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
. Tatla Lake is the westernmost location for many semi-arid plants like Prickly Pear Cactus and Rabbit Brush.
Climate
The rain shadow effect means Tatla Lake is quite dry receiving about the same precipitation per year as Penticton. The dry air combined with relatively high elevation and clear skies mean the daily temperature extremes are rather wide. In September the temperature can be over 32°C (90°F) during the day and below freezing at night. On average the temperature fluctuates by about 17 °C (31°F).During the winter the Tatla Lake valley is much colder than the surrounding plateau and valleys as the cold air sinks creating strong temperature inversions. The nearby weather station at Puntzi recorded a low of -52.8°C (-63°F) on December 29, 1968. During the winters chinook
Chinook wind
Chinook winds , often called chinooks, commonly refers to foehn winds in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.Chinook is claimed...
winds blow up the coastal valleys, but often pass over Tatla Lake leaving the community in a deep freeze. This occurs because the Tatla Lake drainage system flows east, while the neighboring valleys flow west through the Coast Mountains.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation (mm) | 22.6 | 18.7 | 19.3 | 23.7 | 19.8 | 32.2 | 34.2 | 25.0 | 23.1 | 23.9 | 54.9 | 36.4 | 333.8 |
Source: Environment Canada, Canadian Climate Normals or Averages 1971-2000