The Smoky River is a river in western Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Peace River. The name refers to the presence of "smouldering beds of coal in the riverbank" noted by the Cree people, an Indigenous people of the area.[2]
| Smoky River | |
|---|---|
 Frozen Smoky River south-east of Grande Prairie | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Adolphus Lake |
| • coordinates | 53°10′16″N 119°07′01″W / 53.17111°N 119.11694°W |
| • elevation | 1,680 m (5,510 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Peace River |
• coordinates | 56°11′09″N 117°20′03″W / 56.18583°N 117.33417°W |
• elevation | 315 m (1,033 ft) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 375 m3/s (13,200 cu ft/s)[1] |
It drains an area of 50,300 km2 (19,400 sq mi).[3] From its headwaters to the Peace River, the Smoky River has a total length of 492 kilometres (306 mi).[4] The average discharge is 347 m3/s (12,300 cu ft/s).[5]
Course
edit
The Smoky River originates in the Canadian Rockies, in the northern area of Jasper National Park from Adolphus Lake (53.171N 119.117W). It then flows northeast through the Willmore Wilderness Park until it passes near the hamlet of Grande Cache. It continues north, passes Watino and merges into the Peace River south of the Town of Peace River, Alberta.
Tributaries
edit- Adolphus Lake
- Calumet Creek
- Carcajou Creek
- Swoda Creek
- Chown Creek
- Twintree Lake
- Short Creek
- Rockville Creek
- Azure Lake
- Desolation Creek
- No Luck Creek
- Jackpine River
- Muddywater River
- Wolverine Creek
- Calypso Creek
- Corral Creek
- Gentain Creek
- Goldrenrod Creek
- Lawrence Creek
- Henrietta Creek
- Delome Creek
- Davey Creek
- Eaton Creek
- Sulphur River
- Two Cabin Creek
- Roddy Creek
- Muskeg River
- Sheep Creek
- Norris Creek
- Bolton Creek
- Kakwa River
- Cutbank River
- Micmillar Creek
- Lignite Creek
- Ellenwood Lake
- Wapiti River
- Simonette River
- Kleskun Creek
- Puskwaskau River
- Bad Heart River
- Little Smoky River
- Peavine Creek
- Hunting Creek
- Lalby Creek
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "The Atlas of Canada - Rivers". atlas.nrcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ Aubrey, Merrily (1996). "Our Roots / Nos Racines". Place Names of Alberta. Vol. IV. Northern Alberta. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press. p. 196. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Smoky Discharge Station". Arctic RIMS. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ "Principal rivers and their tributaries". Statistics Canada. Natural Resources Canada, GeoAccess Division. 2 February 2005. Archived from the original on 9 September 2006.
- ^ "Smoky River at Watino". R-ARCTICNET. 1915–2000. Retrieved 30 October 2017.