River Jordan, British Columbia

River Jordan (known locally as Jordan River) is a small settlement on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, located approximately 70 km west of Victoria.

Established as a logging camp in the late 19th century, River Jordan has Vancouver Island's second hydroelectric power plant. It is popular amongst winter surfers. The eastern terminus of the Juan de Fuca Trail is at China Beach, 3 km west of Jordan River. [http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/SightsActivitiesEvents/AirLandActivities/Hiking/VancouverIsland.htm#tavihike2]

History

In 1790 the Spanish navigator and explorer Lieutenant Francisco de Eliza rebuilt a Spanish fort at Nootka Sound and subsequently explored the area between Nootka Sound and present day Victoria, BC. Originally named Rio Hermoso by his Sub-Lieutenant Manuel Quimper on June 14, 1790, the name was changed later that year to Rio Jordan when the Carta Reducida was made by Gonzalo López de Haro. The name change from Rio Hermoso to Rio Jordan is attributed to Francisco de Eliza's chaplain, Alejandro Jordan [http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/bcgn-bin/bcg10?name=12042] . Subsequent charting by British explorers anglified the name to River Jordan.

Logging of the River Jordan watershed dates back to the 1880's [http://www.bchydro.com/bcrp/projects/docs/vancouver_island/02JO64.pdf] . Timber harvesting intensified in 1907 with the construction of 6 km of railway tracks. Western Forest Products took over the tree farming operation in 1934 and still manages the area forests today. The railroad has been long abandoned and replaced by log hauling trucks.

Development of the River Jordan watershed and construction of the hydroelectric plant began in 1911 and finished a few years later. During the construction of the hydroelectric plant River Jordan was home to 1000 workers.

Until 1912 River Jordan was only accessible by sea. That year the Old Otter Point Road was extended to River Jordan, connecting the town by land to Sooke and Victoria.

During World War II River Jordan became strategically important to the Canadian Air Force, housing the X-1 Detachment's Low-Flying Early Warning Radar System, called 'Microwave Early Warning/Ground Control Intercept' [http://www.pinetreeline.org/rds/rdsx1.html] , in anticipation of a Japanese attack on the west coast. River Jordan has a commanding and unobstructed view of the Strait of Juan De Fuca, from Cape Flattery to Port Angeles and thus was ideal for the deployment of the early warning radar system.

The Old Otter Point Road became part of the newly created Highway 14 in 1953, extending west from Colwood, a suburb of Victoria, to River Jordan. By 1975 Highway 14 was extended all the way west to the remote community of Port Renfrew and paving was completed in the late 1980s. Today this stretch of highway is appreciated by motorcyclists due to its relentless hills and curves and the lack of stop signs and traffic lights.

Industry

Hydroelectric Power Plant

River Jordan is the location of Vancouver Island's second hydroelectric power station. [http://www.ruralobserver.com/jordan_river_powerhouse_article.html] The Vancouver Island Power Company completed construction of the River Jordan hydroelectric system in 1911.Water collects at Diversion Dam, runs 8.8 km down a wooden sluice to an equalizing reservoir and flows through a steel penstock for the last 330 vertical meters.

From 1912 to 1930 continual improvements and additional generators pushed the capacity of the power plant to 26 megawatts. In 1971 the flume was replaced by a tunnel, connected to a penstock flowing down to a new power house, presently located across the river from the original location. A Japanese built generator replaced the old equipment, boosting power output from 26 megawatts to 175 megawatts. [http://www.geog.uvic.ca/dept2/faculty/newcomb/JordanRiverPower.PDF]

Tree Farming

Most of the land around River Jordan is managed under a tree farm license. Western Forest Products has been in charge of the tree farm license since 1934, encompassing 32,490 hectares (81,200 acres) between Sooke and Port Renfrew. At the center of River Jordan, between the bridge and the hydroelectric power house is the raw log sorting facility. Logs are sorted and arranged into rafts at the river's mouth, then towed via sea to Vancouver and Washington State facilities.

The majority of tree farm land has been logged twice in the last 100 years and is currently growing its second generation of replanted trees. Western Forest Products has installed signs along Hwy 14 indicating the growth phases of the forests, such as when a particular tract of land has been logged, replanted and thinned.

Geography

Nearby communities

* Port Renfrew
* Sooke
* Victoria

Nearby Rivers

* River Jordan
* Loss Creek
* Sombrio River

External links

* [http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/JordanRiver.shtml Surf Forecast]
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