The lakes are in a highland transitional area between the southern Vancouver Island Ranges and the Nanaimo Lowland.

[6] Fourth Lake Dam is privately owned and impounds 38,000,000 cubic metres (1.3×109 cu ft) of water, used for a paper mill.

[11] The lake was stocked with up to 30,000 salmon or trout per year for recreational fishing beginning in 1905 through the early 21st century.

[10] In March, 1945, a Fu-Go balloon bomb made in Yamaguchi Prefecture and launched from Japan landed at the lakes.

Its firing circuits malfunctioned; it failed to detonate and was recovered and analyzed by a Canadian–American intelligence effort.