Mystery Island Appears in Canada's Massive Reservoir

A floating island covered in mature trees recently appeared out of nowhere in northern British Columbia's Williston Reservoir, then disappeared before anyone could figure out where it came from.

BC resident Rocky Avery posted photos of the forested landmass after a friend spotted it drifting in the massive lake. The island measured roughly 230 feet by 460 feet, about the size of two football fields, complete with grown trees and vegetation.

"There was a big fishing derby coming up, so I wanted to make sure everybody was aware of what was going on," Avery told CBC News. He also wanted BC Hydro to know about the floating visitor, just in case it drifted toward their operations.

The Williston Reservoir sits behind BC Hydro's W.A.C. Bennett Dam, home to a generating station that produces enough electricity to power more than a third of British Columbia. It's the seventh largest reservoir in the world, making it nearly impossible to patrol entirely.

BC Hydro confirmed the island's existence through satellite imagery after initially questioning whether it was real. But by the time they could investigate further, the island had vanished from the same satellite views that verified it was there.

The utility believes the island broke free when they opened the dam's spillways in June and July to release excess water from heavy winter snow and summer rain. The mature vegetation suggests this wasn't a new formation, it had been attached to shore somewhere for years before breaking loose.

The Bright Side

While floating islands might sound unusual, they've been spotted in large reservoirs from Wisconsin to Africa. These natural wanderers form when chunks of shoreline break free and drift across vast waterways.

BC Hydro now relies on satellite monitoring and photos from people on the water to track the island. They'd prefer it finds a new home far from critical infrastructure, where a collision could cause damage.

The reservoir has been quiet since early August, with no new island sightings. For now, the mystery remains: where did it go, and will it surface again?