Fort Grahame Seaplane Base

The closure was due to obsolescence and logistical improvement. The construction of the Fort Grahame/Kwadacha Airport (CBV4) provided the remote Kwadacha Nation community with a more reliable, all-weather, year-round transportation link. Land-based airports are not subject to the seasonal limitations of a seaplane base, such as winter ice, high winds, or rough water conditions, making them a superior long-term solution. The seaplane base was therefore no longer necessary as the primary aviation facility.

The physical site is a section of Williston Lake adjacent to the Kwadacha (Fort Grahame) community. It is no longer a registered or maintained aerodrome with Transport Canada. There are no dedicated aviation facilities such as docks, fuel, or communication services. While officially closed, the lake surface can still be, and likely is, used for ad-hoc landings by floatplanes with prior arrangement, as is common practice on many lakes in remote Canada. However, all scheduled and primary air traffic to the community now uses the Fort Grahame/Kwadacha Airport (CBV4).

The Fort Grahame Seaplane Base was a vital lifeline for the remote Kwadacha Nation community (historically known as the Fort Grahame Band) in northern British Columbia. Located on Williston Lake, the largest man-made reservoir in North America, the base was the primary means of access for decades. It handled essential operations including the transport of mail, food, medical supplies, and personnel. It was critical for medical evacuations, government services, and supporting resource industries like forestry, trapping, and mineral exploration. The base was frequented by classic Canadian bush planes on floats, such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver and DHC-3 Otter, which were essential for connecting isolated northern communities before the establishment of more robust infrastructure.

There are no known plans or prospects for officially reopening the Fort Grahame Seaplane Base. The community's aviation needs are effectively and more reliably met by the existing land-based airport (CBV4). Re-establishing and maintaining a registered water aerodrome would be economically and logistically redundant. Therefore, the prospect of it being reinstated as an official facility is extremely low.