Nechako River Map-Area
Industries

Farming or ranching, trapping, lumbering, and guiding are the principal
means of livelihood. Grain crops can be grown successfully near Tachick and
Nulki Lakes, and to a lesser degree around Grassy Plains and Lily Lake. A few
cattle are raised by most farmers and ranchers in the northern settled areas, and
cattle ranches are operated in the lower Nechako Valley and Batnuni Valley.
Distant markets and a severe climate with long winters make farming and ranch-
ing a marginal enterprise.

Trapping is carried on mainly as a supplement to farming, ranching, or
guiding, and few depend entirely on this for a livelihood. In recent years with
the decline of fur prices, less and less trapping has been done.

Lumbering is of importance in the northern part of the area. Spruce is cut
for lumber and pine for ties. Although much of the area is burned or covered
with scrub timber and second growth, many large stands of suitable timber remain;
distance from the railway and accessibility are factors in deciding what timber is
marketable.

In past years the tourist industry provided an income for several residents
near Ootsa Lake. Guiding for fishing and big-game hunting was a profitable
seasonal occupation but raising of lake levels at the head of Nechako River has
disrupted the industry and forced many of the guides and outfitters to move. In
the vicinity of Francois and Uncha Lakes several residents cater to hunters and
fishermen.

The Indians of the area engage in trapping, a few raise cattle, some take
summer employment on ranches south and east of the area, a few work as guides
for hunting outfitters, some cut ties, but few are steadily employed at one occupa-
tion for any great length of time.

Climate

The climate of Nechako River area, like that of all the Nechako Plateau, is
a continental type with warm summers and long cold winters. Annual temperatures
range from a maximum of about 90 degrees to a minimum of below minus 40
degrees (Farstad and Laird, 1954, pp. 12-15)1. The annual precipitation at Van-
derhoof is reported to be 13 inches, and a comparison of the vegetation near
Vanderhoof with that of the area as a whole suggests a similar general precipita-
tion; snowfall is light, particularly in the southern part.

Pronounced climatic variations occur from one summer to another. During
the 1952 field season, while the author was working in the southeast quarter,
except for thunder showers there were three rainy days from June 23 to Sep-
tember 21, but in 1953, in the northeast quarter, there were only nine days in
July and August without rain. Frost is not uncommon above 3,000 feet elevation
during any summer month.

1Names and/or dates in parentheses are those of references cited in Bibliography.

2