Adopted in the 2nd Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 30 June 1900, as long-identified on maps and in documents, beginning (?) with Arrowsmith's 1832 map "British North America". Before flooding, the lake extended from Arrowhead at 50°40 - 117°55 to West Demars at 50°09 - 117°48; after flooding behind the Hugh Keenleyside Dam, the head of the lake was extended NW to Revelstoke, at 51°00 - 118°12. Application altered 31 October 1977 on 82K/12.

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

Compiled but not named on Arrowsmith's 1824 "Map exhibiting all the new discoveries..."; labelled Cutsamin or Earbobs Lake on R.H. Laurie's 1832 map "Fredonia or the United-States of North America". Labelled Arrow Lake upper/lower, on Arrowsmith's 1832 map "British North America". See Arrow Lakes for name origin.

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

Southernmost extent is an E-W line drawn from the north boundary of L.8035, near the mouth of McDonald (Slewiskin) Creek below Nakusp; the waters between this point and the northern limit of Lower Arrow Lake about 14 miles to the south, are part of the Columbia River known as "The Narrows" - the water here flowing too swiftly to be classified as part of a lake. (BC Hydro)

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