105 



^lometres moving Okanagaii glacier. Evidences of its 

 occupation by this glacier are still preserved 

 in the shape of the valley, in numerous glacial 

 striae, and accumulations of glacial material. 

 The width and climate of the valley make it 

 excellent for fruit growing which is the principal 

 industry of the district. 



The railway crosses Okanagan valley at right 

 angles at Oroville and enters the valley of 

 Similkameen river, which it follows as far as 

 the town of Princeton, a distance of 80 miles 

 (128-7 km.). 



The Similkameen river belongs to the Colum- 

 bia drainage system. It rises on the eastern 

 slope of the western ranges of the Cascade 

 mountain system, and, flowing at first in a 

 northerly direction and afterwards westward, 

 cuts at right angles through the axis of the 

 Okanagan range in the neighbourhood of 

 Keremeos. Its valley is antecedent to the 

 formation of the Okanagan range, which is 

 believed to have been elevated in Pliocene 

 times. During the Glacial period it was occupied 

 by a great valley glacier moving south-eastward 

 to join the Okanagan glacier. The truncated 

 spurs and characteristic U-shape, which it has 

 near the International Boundary line, are 

 evidences of that occupation. 



For 12 miles (19-3 km.) above Oroville the 

 Similkameen river has an easterly trend, and 

 as this direction is approximately at right angles 

 to the movement of glacial ice, its valley has 

 not been greatly modified and is still narrow and 

 in places canyon-like. A bed of hard Tertiary 

 conglomerate makes a barrier across the river 

 and causes a fall of 23 feet (7 m.) at which 500 

 electrical horse power is developed to supply 

 neighbouring towns. 

 67 m. Nighthawk — Alt. 1,130 ft. (344 m.). The 



106 km. Tertiary rocks of this part of the valley rest 

 directly on Palaeozoic schists and limestones of 

 Carboniferous age, and wherever they are 

 exposed some prospecting and mining develop- 

 ment has been carried out principally on gold 



