Horn River

Last updated
Horn River
Common loon (18497988623).jpg
A common loon on the Horn River at sunrise
Location
Country Canada
Territory Northwest Territories
Physical characteristics
Source 
  coordinates 62°44′N119°38′W / 62.73°N 119.63°W / 62.73; -119.63 (Horn River origin)
  elevation240 m (790 ft)
Mouth  
  location
Mackenzie River
  coordinates
61°28′36″N118°04′51″W / 61.47665°N 118.08075°W / 61.47665; -118.08075 (Horn River mouth)
  elevation
150 m (490 ft)

The Horn River is a river in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is a major tributary of the Mackenzie River.

Contents

The river gives the name to the Horn River Formation, a shale deposit of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. The Horn River Basin refers to the extent of the Horn River Formation in the subsurface, and is not defined by the Horn River watershed.

Course

The river originates south of the Great Bear Lake. It flows south-east through a series of rapids north of the Horn Plateau, then has a meandered flow. Fawn Lake is a complex wetland formed along the middle course of the Horn River, and is followed downstream by the Second Lake. The river turns south-west, where the Mink Lake is formed along its course. The Laferte River also flows into the Mink Lake. Horn River then flows south, and it receives the waters of the Bluefish River before it empties into the Mackenzie River, 100 kilometres (62 mi) downstream from the Great Slave Lake), immediately upstream from Mills Lake, at an elevation of 150 metres (490 ft).

The arch made by the river defines the Horn Plateau, a flat elevated area that rises up to 820 metres (2,690 ft)) to the north and east, while the south is defined by the Mackenzie River east of Fort Simpson.

Tributaries

From origin to mouth, the Horn River receives:

Origin 62°44′N119°38′W / 62.73°N 119.63°W / 62.73; -119.63 (Origin)
Benner Creek 62°17′16″N117°47′29″W / 62.28786°N 117.79134°W / 62.28786; -117.79134 (Benner Creek)
Fawn Lake 62°09′20″N117°35′19″W / 62.15557°N 117.58850°W / 62.15557; -117.58850 (Fawn Lake)
Second Lake 62°07′34″N117°27′12″W / 62.12602°N 117.45326°W / 62.12602; -117.45326 (Second Lake)
Mink Lake 61°54′37″N117°37′55″W / 61.91024°N 117.63208°W / 61.91024; -117.63208 (Mink Lake)
Laferte River 61°52′38″N117°43′34″W / 61.87723°N 117.72606°W / 61.87723; -117.72606 (Laferte River)
Bluefish River 61°30′55″N117°57′42″W / 61.51520°N 117.96175°W / 61.51520; -117.96175 (Bluefish River)
Mackenzie River 61°28′32″N118°04′56″W / 61.47546°N 118.08229°W / 61.47546; -118.08229 (Mackenzie River)

See also

Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap

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