Kanaka Creek is a tributary of the Fraser River, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It flows through Maple Ridge, a district municipality at the eastern edge of Metro Vancouver.[4]

Kanaka Creek
South Kanaka Creek Falls, near Websters Corners, 1915
Map
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
DistrictNew Westminster Land District
Physical characteristics
SourceCoast Mountains
 • coordinates49°16′47″N 122°25′46″W / 49.27972°N 122.42944°W / 49.27972; -122.42944[2]
 • elevation920 m (3,020 ft)[3]
MouthFraser River
 • location
Maple Ridge, Metro Vancouver
 • coordinates
49°12′2″N 122°35′9″W / 49.20056°N 122.58583°W / 49.20056; -122.58583[4]
 • elevation
6 m (20 ft)[3]
Basin size47.7 km2 (18.4 sq mi)[1]
Discharge 
 • locationWebsters Corners[1]
 • average2.74 m3/s (97 cu ft/s)[1]
 • minimum0.026 m3/s (0.92 cu ft/s)
 • maximum130 m3/s (4,600 cu ft/s)

The creek's name is reflected in the name of the local community of Kanaka Creek. Creek and community both were named for a settlement of Kanakas (Hawaiian natives) in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), known as Kanakas. The HBC trading post of Fort Langley was located just across the Fraser River from Kanaka Creek.[5] Originally Fort Langley was a few kilometres downriver, at what is now Derby.[6] The mouth of Kanaka Creek is between the old and new sites of Fort Langley.

Course

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Kanaka Creek originates near Blue Mountain, between Alouette Lake and Stave Lake. It flows south, then west to the Fraser River, which it joins between Haney and Albion. The lower half of the creek is within Kanaka Creek Regional Park.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Archived Hydrometric Data Search". Water Survey of Canada. Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2013. Search for Station 08MH076 Kanaka Creek near Webster Corners
  2. ^ "Canadian 1:50K topographic maps" (map). TopoQuest.com. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  3. ^ a b Elevation derived from ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, using GeoLocator, and BCGNIS coordinates
  4. ^ a b "Kanaka Creek". BC Geographical Names.
  5. ^ "Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada". BC Geographical Names.
  6. ^ "Derby Reach". BC Geographical Names.
  7. ^ Course information in part from "Kanaka Creek, Canadian 1:50K topographic maps" (map). TopoQuest.com. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
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