Denise Kitagawa – Upper Kananaskis Lake

Upper Kananaskis Lake is a reservoir on the Kananaskis River. One of our favourite stops when kayaking this human-made mountain lake is Hawke Island. Wading out to just-over-the-knee depth and using the 360 photo feature on a camera phone can produce images like this – a slightly elevated perspective showcasing the thousands of trees harvested before the dam flooded the valley floor. The original dam (1932) left 4 islands, but subsequent enhancements/expansions of the hydro infrastructure raised the water level a cumulative 13.7 meters, submerging all but Hawke Island.