A small floating island discovered in Williston Reservoir, British Columbia’s largest freshwater lake, has been tracked, lost, and relocated by provincial officials over the past several weeks.
Boaters first captured video footage of the forested landmass in early August, which subsequently spread across Canadian social media platforms. A satellite image from July 21 confirmed the island’s existence and positioned it in the middle of the remote northern reservoir. The island measures approximately 9,800 square meters—roughly the size of one to one-and-a-half American football fields. However, when satellite imagery was reviewed again on August 5, the island was no longer visible at its original location, prompting speculation about its fate and garnering international media attention.
BC Hydro, the government-owned utility responsible for maintaining the reservoir and dam, launched efforts to determine what had occurred. Spokesperson Bob Gammer stated that the island appeared to have drifted toward shore, eventually settling approximately 30 kilometers from where it was initially spotted. This conclusion was supported by subsequent satellite imagery and eyewitness accounts from pilots flying over the area.
Regarding the island’s formation, BC Hydro theorizes it developed gradually from accumulated driftwood that served as a substrate for vegetation to establish roots. Officials believe the structure broke away from the shoreline during the summer months when water levels rose to heights not recorded since 2012. Similar floating islands have been documented elsewhere, including the Forty Acre Bog in Wisconsin’s Lake Chippewa, which consists of peat material that detached from the lake bottom.
Gammer cautioned the public against attempting to access the island, noting its unstable composition poses safety risks and warning that it could disintegrate upon contact.
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