| Saskatchewan River | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Map of Saskatchewan River & Watershed | |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Region | Manitoba,Saskatchewan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 2nd source | Confluence ofNorth andSouth Saskatchewan Rivers |
| • location | 40 kilometres (25 mi) east ofPrince Albert, Saskatchewan |
| • coordinates | 53°14′6″N105°4′58″W / 53.23500°N 105.08278°W /53.23500; -105.08278 |
| • elevation | 380 m (1,250 ft) |
| Mouth | Lake Winnipeg |
• location | Grand Rapids, Manitoba |
• coordinates | 53°11′6″N99°15′22″W / 53.18500°N 99.25611°W /53.18500; -99.25611 |
• elevation | 220 m (720 ft) |
| Length | 547 km (340 mi) |
| Basin size | 335,900 km2 (129,700 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | The Pas, Manitoba |
| • average | 634 m3/s (22,400 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 54 m3/s (1,900 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 3,000 m3/s (110,000 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Nelson River |
| [1][2][3] | |
TheSaskatchewan River (Cree:kisiskāciwani-sīpiyᑭᓯᐢᑳᒋᐊᐧᓂ ᓰᐱᕀ, "swift flowing river") is a major river in Canada. It stretches about 550 kilometres (340 mi) from where it is formed by the joining of theNorth Saskatchewan River andSouth Saskatchewan River just east ofPrince Albert, Saskatchewan. It flows roughly eastward acrossSaskatchewan andManitoba to empty intoLake Winnipeg. Through its tributaries the North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan, its watershed encompasses much of theprairie regions of Canada, stretching westward to theRocky Mountains inAlberta and north-westernMontana in the United States.
Including its tributaries, it reaches 1,939 kilometres (1,205 mi) to its farthest headwaters on theBow River, a tributary of the South Saskatchewan in Alberta.[4]
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It is formed in central Saskatchewan, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) east ofPrince Albert, by the confluence of its two major branches, theNorth Saskatchewan and theSouth Saskatchewan, at theSaskatchewan River Forks. Both source rivers originate fromglaciers in the Alberta Rockies. TheSt. Mary River, draining the Hudson Bay Divide region ofGlacier National Park (U.S.), also empties into the Saskatchewan River via the south fork.
The combined stream flows east-northeast, into Codette Lake formed by theFrancois Finlay Dam atNipawin then intoTobin Lake, formed by theE.B. Campbell Dam. It then flows northeast, passing through a region of marshes, where it is joined from the northwest by theTorch River and theMossy River. At the northern edge of the marshes it flows east, twisting between a series of small lakes into west-central Manitoba toThe Pas, where it is joined from the southwest by theCarrot andPasquia Rivers. Southeast of The Pas, it forms several streams in adelta on the northwest side ofCedar Lake, then exiting the lake on its southeast end and flowing approximately 5 km (3 mi) toLake Winnipeg, entering on the northwest shore north of Long Point. The waters of Lake Winnipeg eventually drain intoHudson Bay, via theNelson River.
The river, like the province ofSaskatchewan, takes its name from theCree wordkisiskāciwani-sīpiy, meaning "swift flowing river". The river and its tributaries provided an important route of transportation forFirst Nations and earlyEuropeantrappers.
In Saskatchewan,SaskPower owns and operatesE.B. Campbell (289 MW, formerly Squaw Rapids) andNipawin (255 MW) Hydroelectric Stations.
In Manitoba,Manitoba Hydro owns and operates Grand Rapids Generating Station.[6]
The Choiceland Generating Station would be located 51 km (32 mi) upstream of the Nipawin site. It would consist of four 150 MW generating units, providing 300 MW of baseload power, and an additional 300 MW of peaking power.
The Forks Generating Station would be located 18 km (11 mi) downstream of the North and South Saskatchewan River Forks, and would be approximately the same size as the Nipawin Station (255 MW of baseload power, and 420 MW of peak power).[7] In 2019, James Smith Cree Nation began developing the project withAECOM and Tesla Energy.[8]
The river, labelled as the "Kish-stock-ewen" is identified on a Hudson's Bay Company map of 1760, produced fromoral information from a First Nations man named Attickasish who had beenAnthony Henday's guide. Another map from 1774 shows a fairly accurate course of the river.[9][10]
The Saskatchewan River and its two major tributaries formed an important transportation route during theprecontact, fur trade, and early settlement periods in the Canadian West. In early fur trading days the South Saskatchewan tributary was known as "La Fourche des Gros Ventres" ("Fork of the Great Gorges") and the North Saskatchewan was known as "Rivière du Pas".
First Nations inhabiting the area of the rivers included at one time or another theAtsina,Cree,Saulteaux,Blackfoot Confederacy,Assiniboine, andSioux.
Henry Kelsey penetrated the area in the 1690s for theHudson's Bay Company, andLouis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne, established the farthest western post of the French Empire in America (SeeNew France) just east of the Saskatchewan River Forks atFort de la Corne. In addition to this the Hudson's Bay Company andNorth West Company both ran numerous fur posts up the river and its two branches throughout the late 18th to late 19th centuries.York boats andcanoes formed the primary means of travel during the fur trade period.
In the mid-19th centuryMetis settlements became important along stretches of the Saskatchewan river system, notably at theSouthbranch Settlement,Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, andSt. Albert, Alberta.
Riverboats were introduced from theRed River of the North in the 19th century and remained an important means of transportation until the 1890s and the coming of railways to the area.[11]
The earliest settlements in Saskatchewan and Alberta generally were established around the rivers. Examples includeFort Edmonton (Edmonton, Alberta),Fort Battleford (Battleford, Saskatchewan), Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, andCumberland House, Saskatchewan.
Fur trade on the lower river: The first European to ascend the river as far as the forks wasLouis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye in spring 1739. The main posts on the river were (landmarks in parentheses): (Saskatchewan River Forks)Fort La Jonquière (?), Fort de la Corne, Cumberland House, Saskatchewan, (The Pas):second Fort Paskoya, (inflow to Cedar Lake:) firstFort Paskoya and secondFort Bourbon, (Cedar Lake), (inflow to Lake Winnipeg:) Grand Rapids, Manitoba, and first Fort Bourbon. There were also a number of temporary posts that have left few records. By far the most important post was Cumberland House which was the depot for the route northwest to the rich Athabasca country. To the west, the North Saskatchewan had the greatest number of posts. North Saskatchewan is the northern-most major river of the western prairies that flows into the Hudson Bay.
The Saskatchewan River, and its two main tributaries, are featured inThe Arrogant Worms' song "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate". While the lyrics imply that the Saskatchewan flows throughMoose Jaw,Saskatoon andRegina, Saskatchewan,[12] only Saskatoon, on the South Saskatchewan River, sees the waters of this river system; the closest point to both Moose Jaw and Regina areLake Diefenbaker, abifurcation lake on the South Saskatchewan, roughly 100 kilometres (62 mi) and 140 kilometres (87 mi) to their west-northwest, respectively.
Fish species include:walleye,sauger,yellow perch,northern pike,lake whitefish,mooneye,goldeye,white sucker,longnose sucker,shorthead redhorse,burbot,rainbow trout, brown trout, andlake sturgeon. In 2008 the presence of reproducingPrussian carp were found in theRed Deer Riverdrainage basin which flows into the Saskatchewan River.[13][14] Illegal introductions of non native species can have serious wide-ranging negative impacts on the ecosystem. While the exact species is not yet determined the genus isCarassius. The Blue Ribbon Bow River Trout fishery may be at risk as a result of this introduction. Illegal introductions of Carassius can be very harmful.[15]
When ya see the Jolly Roger on Regina's mighty shores... A bridge outside of Moose Jaw... Sailin down to Saskatoon
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