Wood River (Saskatchewan)

Last updated

Wood River
Canada Saskatchewan relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location of the mouth in Saskatchewan
Canada relief map 2.svg
Red pog.svg
Wood River (Saskatchewan) (Canada)
Location
Country Canada
Provinces Saskatchewan
Physical characteristics
SourcePinto Butte
  location RM of Glen McPherson No. 46
  coordinates 49°22′00″N107°24′04″W / 49.3667°N 107.4012°W / 49.3667; -107.4012
  elevation1,010 m (3,310 ft)
Mouth Old Wives Lake
  location
RM of Rodgers No. 133
  coordinates
50°08′39″N106°12′12″W / 50.1443°N 106.2034°W / 50.1443; -106.2034
  elevation
663 m (2,175 ft)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  left
  • Chaplin Creek
  • Wiwa Creek
  • Pinto Creek
  • Notukeu Creek
  right
  • Cripple Creek
  • Lafleche Creek
  • Lynthorpe Creek
  • Flynn Creek

Wood River [1] is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It has its source in the Wood Mountain Hills of south-western Saskatchewan and flows in a north-easterly direction to its mouth at Old Wives Lake. Old Wives Lake is a salt water lake with no outflow. As a result, the drainage basin of Wood River is an endorheic one. [2] Along the course of the river, there are several parks, historical sites, and small towns.

Contents

Wood River was the inspiration for the famous Canadian folk song by the same name written by Connie Kaldor and sung nationwide by Canadian choirs. [3] The song is considered by many to be the quintessential Saskatchewan song. [4]

Course and description

Wood River begins in south-western Saskatchewan at the height of the Wood Mountain Hills in semi-arid grasslands within a large region called Palliser's Triangle. Much of the northern half of Wood Mountain Hills is in the Wood River watershed while the southern half flows south into the United States and the drainage basin of the Milk River — a tributary of the Missouri River. This part of the drainage divide is known as the Missouri Coteau. Beginning at Pinto Butte at over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in elevation, Wood River flows eastward through grasslands, rolling hills, and valleys that were carved by glacial meltwaters. [5] Near the small community of Summercove, [6] the river turns north-east and begins to head out of the hills where it is joined by several tributaries. Along the route, south of Gravelbourg, a dam was built that created Thomson Lake. [7] On the eastern shore of the lake is Thomson Lake Regional Park, [8] the oldest regional park in Saskatchewan. Gravelbourg, the largest town along the river's course, is about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) downstream from the dam. After Gravelbourg, the river continues north-east, passes by Shamrock Regional Park, and flows into the western end of Old Wives Lake. Old Wives Lake is part of an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Canada and, along with Reed and Chaplin Lakes, were designated part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). [9]

Tributaries

The following are the tributaries of Wood River from its upper watershed in the Wood Mountain Hills to its mouth at Old Wives Lake:

Lakes and reservoirs

There are several notable lakes and reservoirs within the Wood River watershed. Due to the semi-arid conditions in the region of Palliser's Triangle, [11] several reservoirs were built to retain water for irrigation and consumption.

Shamrock Regional Park

Shamrock Regional Park ( 50°03′33″N106°27′38″W / 50.0591°N 106.4606°W / 50.0591; -106.4606 ) [17] is a regional park in the RM of Shamrock No. 134 along the course of Wood River. Founded in 1961, it is one of the oldest regional parks in Saskatchewan. The park is tucked away into a well treed, horseshoe-shaped bend in the river and has amenities such as a campground, swimming pool, picnic area, ball diamonds, fishing, [18] hiking trails, and a 9-hole golf course. [19]

The campground has 100 electric sites and shower and laundry facilities. The golf course, which opened in 1965, has sand greens and winds its way around the river's edge. [20]

Historical sites

Along the course of the river, there are three Saskatchewan historical sites on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. A fourth site, Eason's Grove, is located on a small bluff north of Gravelbourg in the Wood River Valley that overlooks Wood River. All four sites are within the RM of Gravelbourg No. 104.

Cripple Creek Crossing site

Cripple Creek Crossing ( 49°55′56″N106°28′34″W / 49.9323°N 106.476°W / 49.9323; -106.476 ), located at the point where Cripple Creek meets Wood River just south of Old Wives Lake, is the site of a North-West Mounted Police camp during their March West in 1874. By mid-August, the rigours of the difficult trek west left some men in poor health. It was decided to leave seven troopers, five of whom were sick, a Métis employee, and 26 weak horses behind at the camp. The camp was dubbed "cripple camp". They stayed there until Commissioner George French returned in early October on his way back east. Today, the historical site consists of 128 ha (320 acres) of fields and pasture land. [21]

Trapper's Cabin site

Trapper's Cabin ( 49°59′20″N106°29′13″W / 49.9889°N 106.487°W / 49.9889; -106.487 ), located near Gravelbourg, is the only surviving trapper's cabin in the area from the fur trade.

The 32-hectare site has the remains of a small dugout shelter on the banks of Wood River that was built in the 1930s by Norman Poulin, a local Métis farmer and trapper. Poulin used trapping to supplement his farm income during the Great Depression and it is one of five such shelters he built to operate his trapline along the river. [22]

Wamsley Bridge site

Wamsley Bridge is located about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Gravelbourg and is an archaeological site that contains "at least nine buried layers of butchered bison bone and hearth remains that have been partially exposed in a road cut". The site shows evidence of butchering and processing by pre-contact First Nations over many years. [23]

Eason's Grove site

Eason's Grove ( 49°59′06″N106°29′49″W / 49.9851°N 106.497°W / 49.9851; -106.497 ) was an unofficial recreation site that had no level of formal government organisation. From about 1907, local residents began using the area as a picnic spot and gathering site due to the natural grassy field, groves of trees, and access to Woody River. Eventually ball diamonds were constructed on the south side of the property and pick-up games were played. Use of the park started to decline by the 1960s as other government organised parks began opening up. It was officially closed in 1970 and was converted to pasture land. It is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of Gravelbourg and all that remains are the remnants of the ball diamonds and the open grassy field. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poplar River (Montana–Saskatchewan)</span> River in central North America

Poplar River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 167 miles (269 km) long in Saskatchewan in Canada and Montana in the United States. The river is composed of three main forks – West, Middle, and East Poplar Rivers – that have their source in the Wood Mountain Hills of the Missouri Coteau. Along the river's Middle Fork in Saskatchewan, there is a coal-fired power station. There are also dams built along the river's forks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cypress Hills—Grasslands</span> Federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada

Cypress Hills—Grasslands is a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wood River (electoral district)</span> Provincial electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada

Wood River is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada. Located in southern Saskatchewan, the district was created by the Representation Act, 1994 (Saskatchewan) out of parts of the former Assiniboia-Gravelbourg and Shaunavon constituencies. The district takes its name from the R.M. of Wood River, which is located in the center of the constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division No. 3, Saskatchewan</span> Census division of Saskatchewan, Canada

Division No. 3 is one of eighteen census divisions in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, as defined by Statistics Canada. It is located in the south-southwestern part of the province, adjacent to the border with Montana, United States. The most populous community in this division is Assiniboia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant Devine Dam</span> Dam and reservoir in Saskatchewan, Canada

The Grant Devine Dam, formerly Alameda Dam, is an embankment dam located in the Canadian province near Alameda and Oxbow. It was constructed in 1994 to control flows on Moose Mountain Creek and Souris River. It provides flood protection and irrigation for this area of Saskatchewan, along with protection for Minot, North Dakota. The Grant Devine Reservoir provides opportunities for recreational use such as boating and fishing. At the full supply level of 562 metres (1,844 ft), the reservoir holds 105,000,000 m3 (3.7×109 cu ft) of water. The project is owned and operated by the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (formerly Saskatchewan Watershed Authority).

Assiniboia-Gravelbourg was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada. This constituency was created from the ridings of Gravelbourg and Assiniboia-Bengough before the 1975 Saskatchewan general election. The constituency was bisected into both the Thunder Creek and Wood River ridings before the 1995 Saskatchewan general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saskatchewan Highway 58</span> Provincial highway in Saskatchewan, Canada

Highway 58 is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan that handles approximately 100 vehicles per day. The highway runs from Highway 18 about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of Fir Mountain north until Highway 1 / Highway 19 at Chaplin in the south-central region of the province. There are multiplexes of 1.6 kilometres (1.0 mi) with Highway 13, 300 metres (980 ft) with Highway 43, and 4.9 kilometres (3.0 mi) with Highway 363. The section from its southern terminus north to Shamrock is paved while north of Shamrock to Chaplin is gravel. The highway is about 132 kilometres (82 mi) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rural Municipality of Gravelbourg No. 104</span> Rural municipality in Saskatchewan, Canada

The Rural Municipality of Gravelbourg No. 104 is a rural municipality (RM) in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within Census Division No. 3 and SARM Division No. 2. It is located in the southwest portion of the province.

Gravelbourg is a former provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. This district was created before the 5th Saskatchewan general election in 1921. Redrawn and renamed "Assiniboia-Gravelbourg" in 1975, the riding was dissolved before the 23rd Saskatchewan general election in 1995.

Notukeu-Willow Bunch was a provincial electoral division for the Legislative Assembly of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, located south of Old Wives Lake. Centered on the town of Assiniboia, this constituency was created for the 8th Saskatchewan general election in 1938 by combining the districts of Notukeu and Willow Bunch.

Ceylon is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of The Gap No. 39 and Census Division No. 2. It is located alongside Gibson Creek, which is a tributary of Long Creek. No shops or businesses other than the bar remain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonald Lake (Saskatchewan)</span> Lake in Saskatchewan, Canada

McDonald Lake, also known as Rafferty Reservoir, is a reservoir in the south-eastern part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was created when the Rafferty Dam was built on the Souris River in 1994. Before the dam was built that flooded the Souris Valley, McDonald Lake was a small lake and marsh on the valley floor adjacent to the Souris River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brightwater Creek</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Brightwater Creek is a river in south central part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River in a region called the Prairie Pothole Region of North America, which extends throughout three Canadian provinces and five U.S. states. It is also within Palliser's Triangle and the Great Plains ecoregion. Along the river's course there is a dam and reservoir and a regional park. There are no communities along its course.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avonlea Creek</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Avonlea Creek is a river in the southern part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is in a region called the Prairie Pothole Region of North America, which extends throughout three Canadian provinces and five U.S. states. It is also within Palliser's Triangle and the Great Plains ecoregion. Avonlea Creek is a main tributary of the Moose Jaw River, which is part of the Upper Qu'Appelle Watershed and the Hudson Bay drainage basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunder Creek (Saskatchewan)</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Thunder Creek is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The watershed of Thunder Creek is within the semi-arid Palliser's Triangle in south-central Saskatchewan. It begins at small, man-made reservoir near Lake Diefenbaker and flows in a south-easterly direction towards the city of Moose Jaw and the Moose Jaw River. The Moose Jaw River is a major tributary of the Qu'Appelle River For most of its course, Thunder Creek follows a valley called the Thunder Creek meltwater channel that was formed over 10,000 years ago near the end of the last ice age.

Theodore Reservoir is a man-made reservoir along the course of the Whitesand River in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The lake was formed with the building of Theodore Dam in 1964. The reservoir and dam were named after the nearby community of Theodore. Whitesand River is the primary inflow and outflow for the reservoir. Lawrie Creek, which begins in the Beaver Hills, flows into the lake on the western side near the dam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spruce River (Saskatchewan)</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Spruce River, also called Little Red River, is a river in the north-central region of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It begins in the Waskesiu Hills in Prince Albert National Park and flows generally in a southward direction through boreal forests, glacier-carved hills and valleys, muskeg, and prairie en route to the North Saskatchewan River at the east end of the city of Prince Albert.

Thomson Lake is a reservoir in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan along the course of Wood River in the Old Wives Lake closed watershed. The lake was created in 1958 for irrigation and consumption with the damming of Wood River. It was named after Dr Leonard Thomson who was the director of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagle Creek (Saskatchewan)</span> River in Saskatchewan, Canada

Eagle Creek is a river in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The watershed of Eagle Creek is within the semi-arid Palliser's Triangle and is the major drainage system in mid-western Saskatchewan between the South and North Saskatchewan Rivers. Eagle Creek begins at the eastern end of Eaglehill Lake and travels through a glacier-cut valley in the moist, mixed grasslands ecozone of Canada en route to the North Saskatchewan River. The North Saskatchewan River merges with the South Saskatchewan River farther downstream to become the Saskatchewan River.

Emerald Lake is a lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was originally named Ruxee Lake but was renamed Emerald Lake for its clean, spring-fed water. The lake is located in the Rural Municipality of Leask No. 464 in a forest of pine, aspen, birch, and hazelnut trees. The lake is fed from natural springs and from Mistawasis Creek. Mistawasis Creek flows into the northern end of Emerald Lake from Iroquois Lake, which is about one mile upstream to the west. Mistawasis Creek flows out of the lake from the eastern shore and flows in a generally easterly direction and joins Shell River, which a tributary of the Sturgeon River.

References

  1. "Wood River". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  2. "Old Wives Lake Watershed". 25 February 2021.
  3. "Wood River – Elektra Women's Choir". elektra.ca. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  4. "The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan | Details". esask.uregina.ca. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  5. "Wood Mountain Plateau". The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. University of Regina. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  6. "Summercove". Geoview.info. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  7. "Thomson Lake". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  8. "Thomson Lake Regional Park". Thomson Lake. Thomson Lake Regional Park. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  9. "Chaplin Old Wives Reed Lakes". WHSRN. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  10. "Wood River, Saskatchewan Map". Geodata.us. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  11. Bonikowsky, Laura. "Drought in Palliser's Triangle". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  12. "Dams and Reservoirs". wsask. Water Security Agency. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  13. "Braddock Reservoir". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  14. "Midtskogen Lake". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  15. "Twelve Mile Lake". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  16. "Gouverneur Reservoir". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  17. "Shamrock Regional Park". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  18. "Wood River". Fishbrain. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  19. "Shamrock Regional Park". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  20. "Shamrock Regional Park". Shamrock Regional Park. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  21. "Crippled Creek Crossing Site". Canada's Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  22. "Trapper's Cabin". Canada's Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  23. "Wamsley Bridge Site". Canada's Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  24. "Eason's Grove". Canada's Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved 20 October 2023.