Osoyoos Lake is a lake located in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington, United States. Osoyoos is derived from the word sẁiẁs meaning "narrowing of the waters" in the local Okanagan language (Syilx'tsn).

Osoyoos Lake
Location of Osoyoos Lake in Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada.
Location of Osoyoos Lake in Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada.
Osoyoos Lake
Location of Osoyoos Lake in Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada.
Location of Osoyoos Lake in Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada.
Osoyoos Lake
Location of Osoyoos Lake in Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada.
Location of Osoyoos Lake in Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada.
Osoyoos Lake
Location of Osoyoos Lake in Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada.
Location of Osoyoos Lake in Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada.
Osoyoos Lake
LocationRegional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, British Columbia, Canada / Okanogan County, Washington, United States
Coordinates49°0′1.16″N 119°26′44.13″W / 49.0003222°N 119.4455917°W / 49.0003222; -119.4455917
Basin countriesCanada, United States
SettlementsOsoyoos, British Columbia; Oroville, Washington

Located on the lakeshore are the town of Osoyoos, British Columbia and city of Oroville, Washington. The lake's maximum elevation is 912.78 ft (278.22 m), while its minimum elevation is 909.46 ft (277.20 m). The 62-year average discharge into the Okanogan River at Oroville is 683 cu ft/s (19.3 m3/s). Maximum discharge in 2004 was 1,340 cu ft/s (38 m3/s).[1] Oroville's Osoyoos Lake State Park is located on its shore.[2]

Hydrology

edit

Osoyoos Lake and its outlet and primary inflow, the Okanagan River (spelled in the United States as the Okanogan River), are subject to international water-sharing agreements governed by the International Joint Commission as part of the Columbia Basin. The authority responsible for overseeing the IJC agreements is the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control, composed of appointees from Environment Canada, the BC Ministry of Water, Land Air Protection, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Geological Survey, and private consultants.[1]

 
Looking east from town, Osoyoos Lake, South Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Annual Report to the International Joint Commission from the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control, 2004" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  2. ^ "Complete information for Osoyoos Lake State Park". Washington State Parks. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2009-12-10.