BURSTThanks to a combination of satellite imagery, observations from small aircraft and reports from boaters, BC Hydro says the mystery of a disappearing island has been solved.
The floating island on Williston Reservoir, near Mackenzie, became one of Canada’s “most famous islands,” BC Hydro said after news stories – nationally and internationally – of it mysteriously appearing near Finlay Bay and then seemingly vanishing.
BC Hydro now says it has been found and has come to rest against the shoreline on the Ospika Arm of Williston Reservoir, approximately 30 kilometres northwest of where it was first discovered near Finlay Bay and farther away from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam.
“When we first received photos and video of a floating island covered in trees, we weren’t entirely convinced,” BC Hydro community relations manager Bob Gammer said.
“In the age of AI, it’s important to verify unusual reports before drawing conclusions. Once we confirmed the island through satellite imagery and other observations, it quickly captured the imagination of the public and the media and sparked interest among scientists studying how floating vegetated islands form and move.”
BC Hydro says it was first made aware of the island on Aug. 13 after receiving photos and video believed to have been taken on or around July 21.
At that time, it had last been seen west of Finlay Bay and then reportedly disappeared from view and “quickly sparked worldwide curiosity,” BC Hydro says. The CBC first reported on it on Aug. 29 and the story soon generated headlines from the BBC and The New York Times to TMZ and National Geographic.
BC Hydro says the mystery was solved on Monday (Aug. 31) when it confirmed the island’s location using satellite imagery dated Aug. 15. It’s believed the island drifted 30 kilometres over 15 days before settling along the shoreline in its current location.
The island also appears to be intact and is estimated to be about 70 metres wide and 140 metres long. BC Hydro says it’s about the size of two football fields.
It also has established vegetation growing on its surface.
“While floating vegetated islands of this size are uncommon, they can occur in large reservoirs,” BC Hydro says in the news release.
“One possible explanation is the island formed from logs and woody debris that accumulated in a sheltered area over many years. As the material gradually decomposed, vegetation may have taken root, creating a stable mass of interconnected debris and plant growth.”
BC Hydro added that the mysterious island also attracted interest from geologists, ecologists and other researchers interested in how floating vegetated islands form and move.
“Finding the island has answered one question, but it has raised several others,” Gammer said. “While we’re pleased to have confirmed the island’s location, there is still more to learn about how it formed and how it came to drift across the reservoir. We’ll continue monitoring the island and learning more about its origins and movement as the story unfolds. Stay tuned.”
While people are welcome to approach the island by boat or drone to take photos, the Crown corporation is cautioning safety. BC Hydro notes the island is “made up of logs and decaying woody debris, making it unstable and unsafe to land on or climb onto.”
BC Hydro added it does not expect any operational impacts from the island.