"Kwadacha River (not Quadacha nor Quaneca)" adopted in the 4th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 30 June 1902. Re-approved 1 October 1953 on 94F.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

"The name was referred to by Mr. McConnell of the Geological Survey of Canada, who made an exploration of the Finlay River basin in 1894. Mr McConnell stated that the [Indigenous] guide gave the name Quadacha or Kwadache, not Quaneca..." (19 May 1902 letter from A.H. Whicher to Fleet Robertson, Provincial Minerologist & BC member of the Geographic Board of Canada).

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Kwadacha is the Athabascan term for "white water"; the Kwadacha River drains the Kwacacha Glacier of Lloyd George icefield and because of its very high concentration of rock flour, the Sekanni named the river for its' colour. The river was labelled "White" or "Whitewater" River on early map (titles/dates not cited)

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

The preferred modern spelling is Kwàdàta or Kwodàcha (Guzagi K'úgé, published by Kaska Tribal Council, Watson Lake, 1997).

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Headwaters at 57 34 -124 34.

Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database, Ottawa