Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford in Fraser Valley, British Columbia — Canada’s West Coast (North America)

Sumas Lake Reclamation

Stephen Rees via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), September 9, 2008

1. Sumas Lake Reclamation Marker

Inscription. In 1924, by a system of stream diversions, dams, dykes, canals and pumps, 33,000 acres of fertile land were reclaimed from Sumas Lake. Few areas in B.C. have such rich soil with transportation and markets in close proximity. Produce of the mixed farming on this deep lake-bottom land is an important factor in the economy of our mountainous province.

Erected 1967 by Province of British Columbia.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Environment • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.

Location. 49° 3.388′ N, 122° 10.7′ W. Marker is in Abbotsford, British Columbia, in Fraser Valley. It is in Sumas Prairie. It can be reached from Cole Road just south of South Parallel Road, on the right when traveling south. Marker is in the Cole Road Rest Area off Trans-Canada Highway (BC-1). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2892 Cole Rd, Abbotsford BC V3G 2K5, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on British Columbia’s Lower Mainland

and in Coast & Mountains.

Globally, it is in North America,

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the Cascade Range,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least one other marker is within 10 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Gur Sikh Temple (approx. 9.5 kilometers away).

Regarding Sumas Lake Reclamation. Attached to this large plaque is a smaller bronze plaque with the text: "The 100th Stop-of-Interest plaque placed since 1958. Unveiled by L.J. Wallace, General Chairman, British Columbia Centennial Committee. October 29, 1967."

Also see . . .
1. Bullet-point history of Sumas Lake. The lake was drained to irrigate land owned by farmers weary of the lake's frequent flooding, but continued flooding in the area has officials studying ways to mitigate it. (Patrick Penner, The Abbotsford News, posted Nov. 17, 2021. (Submitted on December 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Sumas Lake. Wikipedia entry on the "lost lake," which was a center of the Sumas First Nation territory before

B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

2. Sumas Lake Reclamation Marker

Europeans arrived. (Submitted on December 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 539 times since then and 86 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 10, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.