Pitt Lake
title: "Pitt Lake" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["lakes-of-the-lower-mainland", "history-of-british-columbia", "new-westminster-land-district"] topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitt_Lake" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox body of water"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Pitt Lake |
| image | Pitt Lake 023.jpg |
| location | British Columbia |
| coords | |
| type | Fjord lake and Tidal lake |
| inflow | Pitt River |
| outflow | Pitt River |
| pushpin_map | British Columbia |
| basin_countries | Canada |
| length | 24 km |
| width | 4.5 km |
| area | 53.5 km2 |
| {{convert | 150 |
| elevation | 3 m |
| islands | Goose, Little Goose, Gosling |
| reference | |
| :: |
| name = Pitt Lake | image = Pitt Lake 023.jpg | caption = | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = British Columbia | coords = | type = Fjord lake and Tidal lake | inflow = Pitt River | outflow = Pitt River |pushpin_map=British Columbia | catchment = | basin_countries = Canada | length = 24 km | width = 4.5 km | area = 53.5 km2 | depth = | max-depth = 150 m | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = 3 m | frozen = | islands = Goose, Little Goose, Gosling | cities = | reference = Pitt Lake is the second-largest lake in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. About 53.5 sqkm in area, it is about 25 km long and about 4.5 km wide at its widest. It is one of the world's relatively few tidal lakes, and among the largest. In Pitt Lake, there is on average a three-foot tide range; thus Pitt Lake is separated from sea level and tidal waters during most hours of each day during the 15 foot tide cycle of the Pitt River and Strait of Georgia estuary immediately downstream.{{cite web |url=http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/54832.pdf |format=PDF|title=The Tides in the Fraser Estuary |pages=7, 11 |author=Alard Ages and Anne Woollard |date=1976 |publisher=Institute of Ocean Sciences, Patricia Bay, Victoria, BC, Canada |access-date=2016-12-16}} The lake's southern tip is 20 km upstream from The Pitt River confluence with the Fraser River and is 40 km east of Downtown Vancouver.
Geography
Pitt Lake is in a typical U-shaped glacial valley in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains. The overdeepening of the lower end of the valley over the span of the Wisconsin glaciation created a trough over 140 m below current sea level. After initial glacial retreat at around 13,000 years ago a saltwater fjord occupied this basin when relative sea levels were still ca 120 to 140m above current levels in the region. Unlike neighbouring Indian Arm and Howe Sound farther west, this fjord basin became partly cut off from tidal waters by sedimentation of the lower Fraser River ca 10,500 years ago, and Pitt Lake is now considered a tidal fjord lake.
Pitt Lake is the second largest of a series of north–south oriented fjord-lakes incising the southern slopes of the Pacific Ranges, the largest being Harrison Lake located 60 km to the east. The other fjord-lakes include Coquitlam Lake, Alouette Lake, Stave Lake, and Chehalis Lake.
The Pitt River drains into the northern end of Pitt Lake. The western shore of Pitt Lake are protected within Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, while most of the eastern shore are protected within Golden Ears Provincial Park. The southern end of Pitt Lake features an extensive marshland called Pitt Polder. While most of this marshland has since been drained for agricultural use, the northernmost portion is strictly protected in order to provide critical habitat for migratory birds.
Communities
The community of Pitt Meadows and the Katzie First Nations reserve of Pitt Lake Indian Reserve 4 are located at the southern end of the lake. Just southwest of the lake is the community of Port Coquitlam, which is across the Pitt River from Pitt Meadows. At the north end of the lake is a locality named Alvin, which is a transport and shipping point for logging companies and their employees.
Climate
Pitt Lake has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate type Cfb). As such, it features cool, rainy winters with relatively warm and dry summers. The average annual precipitation is 2155.4 mm. Extremes vary from -23.3 °C, recorded on January 23, 1969, to 37.0 °C, recorded on July 21, 2006.
|metric first=yes |single line= Y |location= Pitt Lake (Pitt Polder) (Elevation: 5m) 1981−2010 | Jan record high C = 15.0 | Feb record high C = 18.3 | Mar record high C = 25.0 | Apr record high C = 29.0 | May record high C = 35.0 | Jun record high C = 36.0 | Jul record high C = 37.0 | Aug record high C = 35.5 | Sep record high C = 35.5 | Oct record high C = 28.0 | Nov record high C = 19.4 | Dec record high C = 17.0 | year record high C = 37.0 | Jan high C = 5.8 | Feb high C = 7.9 | Mar high C = 10.9 | Apr high C = 14.2 | May high C = 17.8 | Jun high C = 20.6 | Jul high C = 23.8 | Aug high C = 24.2 | Sep high C = 20.8 | Oct high C = 14.2 | Nov high C = 8.5 | Dec high C = 5.3 | year high C = 14.5 | Jan mean C = 3.1 | Feb mean C = 4.1 | Mar mean C = 6.7 | Apr mean C = 9.4 | May mean C = 12.8 | Jun mean C = 15.6 | Jul mean C = 18.0 | Aug mean C = 18.1 | Sep mean C = 14.8 | Oct mean C = 9.9 | Nov mean C = 5.4 | Dec mean C = 2.5 | year mean C = 10.0 | Jan low C = 0.3 | Feb low C = 0.2 | Mar low C = 2.3 | Apr low C = 4.6 | May low C = 7.8 | Jun low C = 10.6 | Jul low C = 12.1 | Aug low C = 11.9 | Sep low C = 8.7 | Oct low C = 5.5 | Nov low C = 2.3 | Dec low C = -0.4 | year low C = 5.5 | Jan record low C = -23.3 | Feb record low C = -16.7 | Mar record low C = -11.7 | Apr record low C = -5.0 | May record low C = -2.2 | Jun record low C = 1.7 | Jul record low C = 4.4 | Aug record low C = 2.8 | Sep record low C = -1.7 | Oct record low C = -9.0 | Nov record low C = -19.0 | Dec record low C = -18.0 | year record low C = -23.3 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 298.6 | Feb precipitation mm = 203.0 | Mar precipitation mm = 199.4 | Apr precipitation mm = 164.5 | May precipitation mm = 135.6 | Jun precipitation mm = 100.6 | Jul precipitation mm = 69.1 | Aug precipitation mm = 65.9 | Sep precipitation mm = 98.6 | Oct precipitation mm = 223.0 | Nov precipitation mm = 340.2 | Dec precipitation mm = 257.0 | year precipitation mm = 2155.4 | rain colour = green | Jan rain mm = 284.4 | Feb rain mm = 194.1 | Mar rain mm = 197.0 | Apr rain mm = 164.5 | May rain mm = 135.6 | Jun rain mm = 100.6 | Jul rain mm = 69.1 | Aug rain mm = 65.9 | Sep rain mm = 98.6 | Oct rain mm = 222.8 | Nov rain mm = 336.1 | Dec rain mm = 243.6 | year rain mm = 2112.4 | Jan snow cm = 14.2 | Feb snow cm = 8.8 | Mar snow cm = 2.4 | Apr snow cm = 0.0 | May snow cm = 0.0 | Jun snow cm = 0.0 | Jul snow cm = 0.0 | Aug snow cm = 0.0 | Sep snow cm = 0.0 | Oct snow cm = 0.2 | Nov snow cm = 4.1 | Dec snow cm = 13.3 | year snow cm = 43.0 | unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm | Jan precipitation days = 20.2 | Feb precipitation days = 15.8 | Mar precipitation days = 18.9 | Apr precipitation days = 17.1 | May precipitation days = 15.5 | Jun precipitation days = 14 | Jul precipitation days = 8.5 | Aug precipitation days = 7.5 | Sep precipitation days = 9.7 | Oct precipitation days = 17 | Nov precipitation days = 20.8 | Dec precipitation days = 19 | year precipitation days = 184 | unit rain days = 0.2 mm | Jan rain days = 19.3 | Feb rain days = 15 | Mar rain days = 18.7 | Apr rain days = 17.1 | May rain days = 15.5 | Jun rain days = 14 | Jul rain days = 8.5 | Aug rain days = 7.5 | Sep rain days = 9.7 | Oct rain days = 17 | Nov rain days = 20.7 | Dec rain days = 17.7 | unit snow days = 0.2 cm | Jan snow days = 2.6 | Feb snow days = 1.7 | Mar snow days = 0.72 | Apr snow days = 0.0 | May snow days = 0.0 | Jun snow days = 0.0 | Jul snow days = 0.0 | Aug snow days = 0.0 | Sep snow days = 0.0 | Oct snow days = 0.04 | Nov snow days = 0.83 | Dec snow days = 3 |source 1 = Environment Canada (normals, 1981−2010){{cite web | url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=842&dCode=&dispBack=1 | title = Pitt Polder] | work = Canadian Climate Normals 1981−2010 | access-date = 2018-03-27 }}
Recreation
The lake is popular with boaters and canoeists, but is prone to heavy winds and rains as well as big waves (due to its great depth). The Upper Pitt, meaning the valley upstream from the lake, is considered one of BC's best fly-fishing rivers and one of its best steelhead streams.
In addition, there is a destination golfing resort in the Pitt Polder area called Swan-e-set.
Folklore
Main article: Pitt Lake Gold
The area along the east side of the lake is somewhat notorious for being the reputed location of Slumach's lost gold mine, the location of many failed and sometimes disastrous searches for the alleged murderer's lost gold mine. Local historian Bill Barlee has said "that this highly colourful and interesting tale, accepted as fact by a host of treasure seekers, probably does not exist."{{citation | author = N.L. Barlee | title = Historic Treasures and Lost Mines of British Columbia. Canada West Publications. | year = 1976}} According to Barlee by the geological information available it would appear unlikely that a gold deposit would be found in the region of Pitt Lake. Historian Garnet Basque states that geologists are convinced that the region around Pitt Lake is not gold bearing.{{citation | author = Basque Garnet | title = Lost Bonanzas of Western Canada. | year = 2000}} The lost mine of Pitt Lake is a story without scientific support.
References
References
- [[Google Earth]]
- {{BCGNIS. 16884. Pitt Lake
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