The lake is home to many species of fish, but is best known for large kokanee (land-locked salmon), which can reach up to 3+ lbs in weight.

Kawkawa Lake Park on the lake has a swimming beach, a grassy play area, and amenities such.as toilets and park benches, picnic tables and a small dock with a concrete boat launch.

16 is located on the southeastern shore of the lake,[1] and is administered by the Hope-area Union Bar First Nation.

There is also another story about a young man who jumped from the rocky bluffs on the north side of the lake, plunging all the way to the bottom landing on a pit house.

When a dam was built later, it adversely effected the salmon run up the Kw'ikw'iya:la (Coquihalla River).