Cariboo River

Last updated
Cariboo River
Caribou River August 2008.jpg
Location
Country Canada
Province British Columbia
District Cariboo Land District
Physical characteristics
Source Cariboo Mountains
  location Cariboo
  coordinates 53°2′20″N120°29′50″W / 53.03889°N 120.49722°W / 53.03889; -120.49722 [1]
  elevation2,012 m (6,601 ft) [2]
Mouth Quesnel River
  location
Quesnel Forks, Cariboo
  coordinates
52°39′45″N121°40′32″W / 52.66250°N 121.67556°W / 52.66250; -121.67556 Coordinates: 52°39′45″N121°40′32″W / 52.66250°N 121.67556°W / 52.66250; -121.67556 [3]
  elevation
642 m (2,106 ft) [2]
Basin size3,260 km2 (1,260 sq mi) [4]
Discharge 
  location mouth [4]
  average93.4 m3/s (3,300 cu ft/s) [4]
  minimum7.36 m3/s (260 cu ft/s)
  maximum626 m3/s (22,100 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  leftMatthew River, Little River
  rightIsaac River

The Cariboo River is a tributary of the Quesnel River, one of the main tributaries of the Fraser River, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It flows through the Cariboo region of the British Columbia Interior, southeast of Prince George. Above Cariboo Lake it was formerly known as the Swamp River. The name was adopted, and replaced the former names, in 1936 in association with Cariboo Lake. [3]

Contents

Course

The Cariboo River's headwaters flow from many large ice fields in the Cariboo Mountains. It flows generally west, picking up numerous tributary streams, many also draining ice fields. After entering Bowron Lake Provincial Park, the Cariboo is joined by the Isaac River from the north, after which the Cariboo widens into Lanezi Lake, south of the Mowdish Range. [5] At its western end Lanezi Lake empties into Sandy Lake, from which the Cariboo River flows first northwest, then abruptly south. It leaves Bowron Lake Provincial Park. The Matthew River then joins from the east. Farther south the Little River also joins from the east, after which the Cariboo River flows through Cariboo Lake. Cariboo River Provincial Park occupies the river valley north of Cariboo Lake. The Cariboo River flows south from Cariboo Lake, then turns west and empties into the Quesnel River at Quesnel Forks, northwest of Likely. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

Quesnel, British Columbia City in British Columbia, Canada

Quesnel is a city located in the Cariboo Regional District of British Columbia, Canada. Located nearly evenly between the cities of Prince George and Williams Lake, it is on the main route to northern British Columbia and the Yukon. Quesnel is located at the confluence of the Fraser and Quesnel Rivers. Quesnel's metropolitan area has a population of 23,146 making it the largest urban center between Prince George and Kamloops.

Columbia Mountains

The Columbia Mountains are a group of mountain ranges along the upper Columbia River in British Columbia, Montana, Idaho and Washington. The mountain range covers 135,952 km². The range is bounded by the Rocky Mountain Trench on the east, and the Kootenay River on the south; their western boundary is the edge of the Interior Plateau. Seventy-five percent of the range is located in Canada and the remaining twenty-five percent in the United States; American geographic classifications place the Columbia Mountains as part of the Rocky Mountains complex, but this designation does not apply in Canada. Mount Sir Sandford is the highest mountain in the range, reaching 3,519 metres (11,545 ft).

Bowron Lake Provincial Park Wilderness park in British Columbia, Canada

Bowron Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park located in northern British Columbia, Canada, roughly 117 km (73 mi) east of the city of Quesnel. Other nearby towns include Wells and the historic destination of Barkerville. Once a popular hunting and fishing destination, today the park is protected and known for its abundant wildlife, rugged glaciated mountains, and numerous freshwater lakes.

Cariboo Mountains

The Cariboo Mountains are the northernmost subrange of the Columbia Mountains, which run down into the Spokane area of the United States and include the Selkirks, Monashees and Purcells. The Cariboo Mountains are entirely within the province of British Columbia, Canada. The range is 7,700 square kilometres (3,000 sq mi) in area and about 245 km in length (southeast–northwest) and about 90 km at its widest (southwest–northeast).

Quesnel River River in Canada

The Quesnel River is a major tributary of the Fraser River in the Cariboo District of central British Columbia. It begins at the outflow of Quesnel Lake, at the town of Likely and flows for about 100 kilometres (60 mi) northwest to its confluence with the Fraser at the city of Quesnel.

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Kitwanga River

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Kanaka Creek

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The Nazko River is a tributary of the West Road River, one of the main tributaries of the Fraser River, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It flows through the Fraser Plateau region west of Quesnel.

The Raft River is a tributary of the North Thompson River, one of the main tributaries of the Fraser River, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It flows through the Shuswap Highland region southeast of Wells Gray Provincial Park. Most of the Raft River's watershed lies outside the boundaries of Wells Gray, except for some of the headwaters of the West Raft River tributary.

Zymagotitz River Tributary of the Skeena River, BC, Canada

The Zymagotitz River is a tributary of the Skeena River located in the North Coast Regional District of the province of British Columbia, Canada. It originates in the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains, and flows south and west about 45 km (28 mi) to the Skeena River, about 10 km (6.2 mi) downriver from Terrace and about 100 km (62 mi) east of Prince Rupert.

Khtada River

The Khtada River is a tributary of the Skeena River in the North Coast Regional District of the province of British Columbia, Canada. It originates in the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains, and flows south about 26 km (16 mi) to the lower tidal reach of the Skeena River, about 24 km (15 mi) upriver from Port Essington, 48 km (30 mi) southeast of Prince Rupert, and about 74 km (46 mi) southwest of Terrace.

Dudidontu River

The Dudidontu River is a tributary of the Nahlin River in northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada. It joins the Nahlin River, which forms the Inklin River, one of the main tributaries of the Taku River. The Dudidontu River's watershed covers 964 km2 (372 sq mi), and its mean annual discharge is 15.4 m3/s (540 cu ft/s). Almost half of the Dudidontu's flow comes from its main tributary, Kakuchuya Creek, and Kakuchuya Creek's main tributary, Matsatu Creek. The mouth of the Dudidontu River is located about 150 km (93 mi) northeast of Juneau, Alaska and about 110 km (68 mi) northwest of Telegraph Creek, British Columbia.

Koshin River

The Koshin River is a tributary of the Nahlin River in northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada. It flows generally north about 58 km (36 mi) to join the Nahlin River, which forms the Inklin River, one of the main tributaries of the Taku River. The Koshin River's watershed covers 437 km2 (169 sq mi), and its mean annual discharge is 4.89 m3/s (173 cu ft/s). The mouth of the Koshin River is located about 165 km (103 mi) northeast of Juneau, Alaska and about 115 km (71 mi) north of Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. The Koshin River's watershed's land cover is classified as 43.0% Coniferous, 36.3% Shrub, 8.8% Mixed, 5.4% Barren, 2.5% Wetland, and small amounts of other cover.

References

  1. "Canadian 1:50K topographic maps" (map). TopoQuest.com. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  2. 1 2 Elevation derived from ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, using GeoLocator, and BCGNIS coordinates
  3. 1 2 "Cariboo River". BC Geographical Names.
  4. 1 2 3 "Archived Hydrometric Data Search". Water Survey of Canada. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2013. Search for Station 08KH003 Cariboo River below Kangaroo Creek
  5. "Isaac River". BC Geographical Names.
  6. Course information in part from "Merritt, Canadian 1:50K topographic maps" (map). TopoQuest.com. Retrieved 21 August 2013.