Skaha Lake

Skaha Lake
Location	British Columbia
Coordinates	49°25′N 119°35′W / 49.417°N 119.583°W / 49.417; -119.583Coordinates: 49°25′N 119°35′W / 49.417°N 119.583°W / 49.417; -119.583
Primary inflows	Okanagan River
Primary outflows	Okanagan River
Catchment area	Okanagan Basin
Basin countries	Canada
Max. length	11.8 kilometres (7.3 mi)
Max. width	2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi)
Surface area	19.6 square kilometres (7.6 sq mi)
Average depth	26.6 metres (87 ft)
Max. depth	56.7 metres (186 ft)
Water volume	0.552 cubic kilometres (0.132 cu mi)
Residence time	1.1 years
Shore length1	30.7 kilometres (19.1 mi)
Surface elevation	339 m (1112 ft)
Frozen	February 2014
Settlements	Penticton, Okanagan Falls
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Skaha Lake, historically known as Dog Lake and originally Lac Du Chien, is a freshwater lake located along the course of the Okanagan River in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. It has a surface area of approximately 20 km², with a maximum depth of 55 metres. The lake is situated directly south of Okanagan Lake and forms the southern shoreline and boundary of the city of Penticton, British Columbia. The community of Okanagan Falls is located at its southern end, the community of Kaleden lies in the upland area to its west.

"Labelled "L. du Chien" (Dog Lake) on Anderson Map, 1867; labelled "Du Chien L." on Trutch maps, 1866 and 1871. Origin unknown. Later, Dog became the official name. Changed in 1930 to Skaha "to agree with the local name," states the Chief Geographer. However Okanagan Indians say "skaha" is not their word for dog, but is that of the Shuswaps, and that the local word for dog is chokowapee. (Parham, 40). Another spelling is kaekuwapa. The local meaning of skaha is "horse". (Albert Millar). That is also the meaning in the Nicola dialect. (W. G. Clapperton)."

Lake Skaha from Christie Memorial Park

Skaha Lake along the Okanogan River

Northern end of Lake Skaha on a winter afternoon

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Wikipedia