Committee's Punch Bowl facts for kids
The Committee's Punch Bowl is a small mountain lake, also called a tarn. It sits high up on the Continental Divide, right on the border between the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. This special lake is unique because its water flows in two different directions, eventually reaching two different oceans!
Contents
How Did Committee's Punch Bowl Get Its Name?
The lake was named in 1824 by George Simpson. He was the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, a very important trading company in Canada's history. Simpson was traveling on a major trade route through what is now western Canada. He saw the lake at the top of Athabasca Pass. He named it after the company's main managing group, which was based in London. He thought the lake looked like a punch bowl.
At the very top of the pass or height of Land is a small circular Lake or Basin of water which empties itself in opposite directions and may be said to be the source of Columbia & Athabasca Rivers as it bestows its favors on both these prodigious Streams. ... That this basin should send its Waters to each side of the Continent and give birth to two of the principal Rivers in North America is no less strange than true ...
Where Does the Water Go?
As George Simpson noticed, the water from Committee's Punch Bowl flows to two different oceans. This makes it a very special place!
Flowing to the Arctic Ocean
Water from the northwest side of the lake flows into the Whirlpool River. This river then joins the Athabasca River, which travels all the way to Lake Athabasca. From there, the water moves through the Rivière des Rochers and then joins the Peace River. Together, they form the Slave River, which flows into Great Slave Lake. Finally, the water travels down the mighty Mackenzie River until it reaches the cold Arctic Ocean.
Flowing to the Pacific Ocean
The water from the southern side of Committee's Punch Bowl takes a different journey. It flows into Pacific Creek, then into the Wood River. This water eventually reaches what used to be the Canoe River, which is now part of Kinbasket Lake. Kinbasket Lake is a large reservoir that feeds into the Columbia River. The Columbia River is one of North America's biggest rivers, and it flows all the way to the Pacific Ocean in the United States.
