A Radiocarbon Date from Smoky Lake, Alberta

While digging a well in November 1954, Mr. J. Kachmer of Smoky lake, Alberta, struck a log at the 24-foot level. The log was lying in an east-west direction and obstructed Mr. Kachmar's excavation. He chopped out the log and in April 1955 submitted pieces of the wood to the University of Alberta for identification and age-dating. As no radiocarbon age-dating equipment is available in Alberta, the wood was sent to the Physics Department at the University of Manitoba where it was found to be 21,600+/-900 years B.P. After the dating a drilling program was carried out by the Research Council of Alberta to verify the stratigraphic sequence given by Mr. Kachmar. Some 34 holes were drilled around the site, using a power-driven auger type drill.