North Saskatchewan River

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North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan in Banff National Park
Origin	Saskatchewan Glacier 52°09′22″N 117°10′54″W / 52.15611, -117.18167
Mouth	Saskatchewan River Forks 53°14′07″N 105°04′58″W / 53.23528, -105.08278
Basin countries	Canada
Length	1,287 km (800 mi)
Source elevation	2,080 m (6,824 ft)
Mouth elevation	380 m (1,247 ft)
Avg. discharge	245 m³/s
Basin area	122,800 km² (47,413.3 sq mi)

The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river flowing east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. It is one of two major rivers that join to make up the Saskatchewan River.

The Saskatchewan River system is the largest in western Canada, including most of southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan, and crossing into central Manitoba. ^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Course 3 Hydroelectric Development 4 Tributaries 5 Photo gallery 6 See also 7 References

[edit] History

The North Saskatchewan has been designated a Canadian Heritage River in 1989, for its importance in opening up western Canada. ^[2] The long west-east course facilitated travel, and was used for exploration, trade, and settlement from 1807 (when the first fur traders crossed the region) to the beginning of the 20^th century. The upper course, flowing through Banff National Park, has a valued natural heritage.

Edmonton's North Saskatchewan River valley parks system is the largest system of urban parks in Canada, and covers both sides of the river valley's course through Edmonton.

The Bridge River Ash is in the vicinity of the North Saskarchewan River, which was erupted from Mount Meager in southwestern British Columbia about 2350 years ago.

[edit] Course

North Saskatchewan river has a length of 1,287 km (800 mi), and a drainage area of 122,800 km².^[3] At its end point at Saskatchewan River Forks it has a mean discharge of 245 m³/s. The yearly discharge at the Alberta/Saskatchewan border is more than 7 billion m³.^[4]

• The river begins above 1,800 metres at the toe of the Saskatchewan Glacier in the Columbia Icefield, and flows southeast through Banff National Park alongside the Icefields Parkway.
• At the junction of the David Thompson Highway (Highway 11), it initially turns northeast for 10 kilometres before switching to a more direct eastern flow for about 30 km. At this point, it turns north where it eventually arrives at Abraham Lake.
• Bighorn Dam constricts the north end of Abraham Lake, where the North Saskatchewan emerges to track eastward to Rocky Mountain House.
• At Rocky Mountain House, the river abruptly turns north again for 100 km where it switches east towards Edmonton, Alberta.
• In Edmonton, the river passes through the centre of the city in a northeasterly direction and out towards Smoky Lake at which point it quickly changes to the southeast and then more to the east as it makes it way to the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary.
• From the Saskatchewan boundary, the river flows southeast between North Battleford and Battleford and on in the direction of Saskatoon.
• About 40 km northwest of Saskatoon, near Langham, the river veers to the northeast where it passes through Prince Albert.
• About 30 km east of Prince Albert, the North Saskatchewan River joins the South Saskatchewan River at Saskatchewan River Forks to become the Saskatchewan River. From here, the river flows east to Tobin Lake and into Manitoba, eventually emptying into Lake Winnipeg.

[edit] Hydroelectric Development

The first hydroelectric development on the North Saskatchewan was planned in 1910 near the town of Drayton Valley. Funding for the plan came from a British Syndicate; design and construction were to be carried out by the Edmonton Hydro-Electric Power Scheme. The development was shelved after the outbreak of World War One.^[5]

The Bighorn Dam was constructed near Nordegg and created Lake Abraham, one of the largest reservoirs in Alberta. The dam was constructed in 1971 by Transalta.^[6]

One of the North Saskatchewan's major tributaries, the Brazeau River, houses the Brazeau Hydroelectric Dam. The Brazeau Dam is Alberta's largest hydroelectric facility, and was built in 1965 by Transalta.^[7]

[edit] Tributaries

^[8]

Saskatchewan Glacier to Lake Abraham Nigel Creek Alexandra River Norman Creek Rampart Creek Arctomy's Creek Castleguard River Howse River Glacier River Mistaya River Peyto Lake Owen Creek Thompson Creek Corona Creek Spreading Creek Wildhorse Creek Loudon Creek Siffleur River Escarpment River Two O'Clock Creek Bridge Creek Whiterabbit Creek

Lake Abraham to Rocky Mountain House Canyon Creek Cline River Pinto Lake Whitegoat Creek BATUS Creek Hoodoo Creek Allstones Creek Mud Creek Tershishner Creek Crooked Creek Kidd Creek Bighorn River Black Canyon Creek South Creek Dutch Creek Jock Creek Gap Creek Deep Creek Shunda Creek Jack Fish Creek Camp Creek Lundine Creek Lewis Creek Rough Creek Ram River North Ram River Cow Creek Cow Lake Clearwater River

Rocky Mountain House to Edmonton Chicken Creek Little Beaver Creek Big Beaver Creek No Name Creek Baptiste River Brazeau River Southesk River, Cardinal River, Blackstone River, Elk River, Nordegg River Sand Creek Wolf Creek Washout Creek Mishow Creek Poplar Modeste Creek Tomahawk Creek Shoal Lakes Creek Wabamum Creek Wabamum Lake Strawberry Creek Weed Creek Willow Creek Cutbank Creek Conjuring Creek Wizard Lake Whitemud Creek Mill Creek

Edmonton to Alberta-Saskatchewan Border Rat Creek Oldman Creek Horsehills Creek Ross Creek Sturgeon River Big Lake Redwater River Beaverhill Creek Waskatenau Creek Egg Creek Smoky Creek White Earth Creek Redclay Creek Cucumber Creek Saddlelake Creek Lake Eliza Creek Siler Creek Gideon Lake Death River Antimose Creek Telegraph Creek Moosehills Creek Mooswa Creek Middle Creek Borden Lake, Laurier Lake, Ross Lake, Whitney Lake Frog Creek Alma Creek Vermilion River Chester Creek Two Hills Creek Cabin Lake Mosquito Creek

Saskatchewan Pipestone Creek Oldman Creek Monnery River Muskeg Creek Whitesand Creek Englishman River Big Gulley Creek Birling Creek Turtle Lake River Jackfish River Battle River Cooper Creek Baljennie Creek Eagle Creek Pakrowka Creek Sheperds Creek Turtle Creek Cee Pee Creek Radouga Creek Steep Creek Miners Creek Sturgeon River Spruce River Garden River

[edit] Photo gallery

Boating in Edmonton	North Saskatchewan River and Abraham Lake from space	The river covered in a sheet of ice in Edmonton	Dudley B. Menzies Bridge (Edmonton Light Rail Transit and pedestrian bridge) over North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton
North Saskatchewan River near Myrnam, Alberta

[edit] See also

• List of crossings of the North Saskatchewan River

[edit] References

v • d • e Hydrography of Alberta Rivers Athabasca · Battle · Beaver · Bow · Brazeau · Crowsnest · Hay · Milk · North Saskatchewan · Oldman · Peace · Pembina · Red Deer · Slave · Smoky · South Saskatchewan · more... Waterfalls Athabasca · Bow · Bridal Veil · Crescent · Elbow · Panther  · Sunwapta Lakes Athabasca · Beaverhill · Bistcho · Claire · Cold · La Biche · Lesser Slave · Pigeon · Sylvan · Utikuma · Wabamun · more... Reservoirs Abraham · Barrier · Chestermere · Kananaskis · McGregor · Minnewanka · Glenmore · Milk River Ridge Reservoir · Sikome Glaciers Athabasca · Bow · Columbia Icefield · Crowfoot · Hector · Peyto · Saskatchewan · Vulture · Wapta · Waputik Icefield