Douglas Lake

Ranch Lands

British Columbia has a rich variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, meadows, wetlands, rivers and inter-tidal and sub-tidal zones. They support the greatest diversity of plants and mammals of any province in Canada.  With an average maximum summer temperature in excess of 26 degrees Celsius, and an average minimum winter temperature of about minus 8 degrees, the Thompson-Nicola Region tends to experience relatively mild winters (by Canadian standards). 

Growing seasons average approximately five months in duration, with at least 120 frost-free days a year.  Winter snowfall in the lower elevations is limited, while rainfall is more common in the higher elevations during the summer months. The region has one of the highest agricultural production levels in the Province, indicative of its favorable climate. Classified as semi-arid, access to an adequate water supply is paramount in order to maintain the large areas of irrigated farm land. 

Fortunately, Douglas Lake Ranch has ample water as a result of its vast abundance of lakes and streams and associated water rights.  Unlike some of the surrounding area which contains steeper terrain, the moderate topography of the ranch and its general lack of ravines and deep valleys provides for easy access to its land facilitating in the spreading out and gathering of its cattle. Home Ranch is set at an altitude of 800 meters (2,600 feet) and Quilchena at 2,000 feet which marks one of the lowest point of elevation on the ranch, while the highest point rises to an elevation of over 1,800 meters (6,000 feet) at the perimeter.