Adams Lake

Adams Lake
Adams Lake from space (August 1989)
Location	British Columbia
Coordinates	51°15′N 119°30′W / 51.250°N 119.500°W / 51.250; -119.500Coordinates: 51°15′N 119°30′W / 51.250°N 119.500°W / 51.250; -119.500
Primary inflows	Upper Adams River, Momich River, Bush Creek
Primary outflows	Lower Adams River
Basin countries	Canada
Max. length	63 km (39 mi)
Max. width	3.2 km (2.0 mi)
Surface area	137 square kilometres (53 sq mi)
Average depth	299 m (981 ft)
Max. depth	1,523 ft (464 m)
Water volume	23.2 cubic kilometres (5.6 cu mi)
Residence time	10.4 years
Surface elevation	404 m (1,325 ft)

Adams Lake is a large, deep, coldwater lake. The southern end of the lake is approximately 30 km (19 mi) north of the town of Chase in the Shuswap Country region of British Columbia, Canada. The lake's upper reaches lie in the northern Monashee Mountains, while its lower end penetrates the Shuswap Highland.

The lake is 63 km (39 mi) long and between 1.6 km and 3.2 km (1 to 2 miles) wide. The surface elevation is 404 meters (1,326 feet) above sea level. The lake is very deep; it is the second deepest lake in British Columbia next to Quesnel Lake with a maximum depth of 500 meters (1500 feet). Water flows into the lake though many tributaries (most notably the Upper Adams River, Momich River, and Bush Creek). The water drains from the lake into the Lower Adams River which is home to a very large and famous sockeye salmon run which attracts many visitors to the region each year. From there the water flows into Shuswap Lake, and down the Thompson River.

Though a few villages exist along Adams Lake, the vast majority of the lake is undeveloped. The lack of development is partially due to the nature of the shoreline, which is mostly sheer rock faces or steep, stony beaches. Few recreationally suitable beaches exist naturally on the lake. Some man-made sandy beaches have been constructed for public use. (see "Adams Lake Provincial Park")

Chief Adam (sometimes spelled Atahm) was a prominent Secwepemc chief in the mid-nineteenth century. By most accounts, the lake is named after him. Adam died in the 1862 smallpox epidemic, which, according to James Teit, killed over half the local Secwepemc population.