The Valley

The “valley” is dominated by the Williston Reservoir.  The watershed of the valley is 44,579 sq. kms. (27,700 sq. m.).  The reservoir (lake) is 1,761 sq. kms. (684 sq. m.).  It is north to south 251 kms. (156 m.) and west to east it is 155 kms. (96 m.).  The Williston Reservoir in the northern Rocky Mountain Trench is fed by the Finlay, Omineca, Ingenika, Ospika, Parsnip, Manson, Nation, and Nabesche Rivers, and by Clearwater Creek, Carbon Creek, and other smaller creeks.

The reservoir is a result of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, originally called the Portage Mountain Dam, on the Peace River.  The reservoir is named after the Honorable Ray Williston, the Minister of Lands, Forests, and Water Resources at the time. 

There are several provincial parks along the shores of the reservoir, including Muscovite Lakes Provincial Park, Butler Ridge Provincial Park, Heather-Dina Lakes Provincial Park and Ed Bird-Estella Provincial Park.