Introduction

head of the Nechako Canyon was investigated and found to be suitable. In 1951
a road was built to the site from Vanderhoof and preliminary work begun. The
construction of the dam (the Kenney Dam) proceeded rapidly, and was com-
pleted in the autumn of 1952. The diversion tunnel was closed and the raising of
the lake levels began.

The Kenney Dam is 317 feet high, 1,500 feet long at top, 40 feet wide at top
and 1,170 feet at base. The materials used in its construction were all found
locally. Quarries were opened in the late Tertiary basalt and massive to vesicular
basalt was readily quarried within one half mile of the dam site. Suitable gravel
was found along Nechako River about the dam, and suitable clay from the
higher areas above the river valleys.

Previous Geological Work

In 1876, G. M. Dawson (1878, pp. 17-94) of the Geological Survey of
Canada travelled through the area via Euchiniko River, Blackwater River, Qual-
cho Lake, and north to Nechako River and Fort Fraser; in 1905, W. F. Robert-
son, the Provincial Mineralogist (Robertson, 1906, pp. 87-139) crossed the
northwest quarter of the area following Tahultzu and Cheslatta Valleys; and in
1916, J. D. Galloway of the British Columbia Department of Mines (Galloway,
OMGE pp. 134-186) followed the Bella Coola trail south from Ootsa Lake. Aside
from brief reports of these trips, , there are no published geological reports on any
part of the area. Work on which this report is based was done during the field
seasons of 1949 to 1952.

Acknowledgments

The writer received many courtesies and helpful suggestions from the resi-
dents of the district, in particular F. Henson, A. Pelletier, N. Pratt, and C. Ben-
nett of Ootsa Lake; G. Streigler, R. Hobson, and R. Eaton of Vanderhoof; and
Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Smith of Batnuni Lake.

The author was ably assisted in the field by K. Adlington, J. K. Eccles, and
P. Poulton in 1949; by W. R. A. Baragar, J. K. Eccles, and M. Trigg in 1950;
by J. Anderson, J. K. Eccles, and E. Fitzgerald in 1951; and by S. E. Acres, J.
Blowes, and B. Martens in 1952; by S. E. Acres, P. F. Karrow, W. P. Lightbody,
and M. J. Melnyk in 1953.