South Saskatchewan

South Saskatchewan River
River
The University Bridge over the South Saskatchewan River at Saskatoon
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta,  Saskatchewan
Source confluence	Oldman and Bow Rivers
- location	Taber, Alberta
- elevation	700 m (2,297 ft)
- coordinates	49°56′0″N 111°41′30″W / 49.933333°N 111.69167°W / 49.933333; -111.69167
Mouth	Saskatchewan River
- location	Saskatchewan River Forks, Saskatchewan
- elevation	380 m (1,247 ft)
- coordinates	53°14′6″N 105°4′58″W / 53.235°N 105.08278°W / 53.235; -105.08278
Length	1,392 km (865 mi)
Basin	146,100 km2 (56,410 sq mi)
Discharge
- average	280 m3/s (9,888 cu ft/s)
The Saskatchewan River drainage basin

The South Saskatchewan River (French: rivière Saskatchewan Sud) is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

For the first half of the 20th century, the South Saskatchewan would completely freeze over during winter, creating spectacular ice breaks and dangerous conditions in Saskatoon, Medicine Hat and elsewhere. At least one bridge in Saskatoon was destroyed by ice carried by the river. The construction of the Gardiner Dam in the 1960s, however, lessened the power of the river and by the 1980s many permanent sandbars had formed due to the lowering of the level of the river.

From the headwaters of the Bow River, the South Saskatchewan flows for 1,392 kilometers (865 mi). At its mouth at Saskatchewan River Forks, it has an average discharge of 280 m³/s, and has a watershed of 146,100 km², 1,800 of which are in Montana in the USA, and 144,300 km² in Alberta and Saskatchewan. ^[1]

Course

The river originates at the confluence of the Bow and Oldman Rivers near Grassy Lake, Alberta. The waters of these two rivers, in turn, originate from glaciers in the Rocky Mountains near the British Columbia border.^[2] The Red Deer River is a major tributary of the South Saskatchewan merging 16 kilometers (10 mi) east of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. The Lake Diefenbaker reservoir was created with the construction of the Gardiner and Qu'Appelle River dams in Saskatchewan. Water from the South Saskatchewan flowing through the dams provides much of the electricity in the province.

Downstream from the dam the river flows north through Saskatoon and joins the North Saskatchewan River east of Prince Albert at the Saskatchewan River Forks — thus forming the Saskatchewan River. For approximately 60 km near Saskatoon, the Meewasin Valley Authority is responsible for conservation of the river environment. Numerous lakes in the Saskatoon area were formed by oxbows of the South Saskatchewan River, most notably Moon Lake and Pike Lake.^[2]

A study which analysed the river flow on ten major Canadian rivers has reported that the South Saskatchewan River is the most at risk. Dams producing Hydroelectricity, climate change, agricultural, urban infrastructure water use have all combined to reduce the South Saskatchewan River 70%. Developers and governments have been cautioned to protect and restore the river with sustainable projects and limit water diversion.^[3] Dickson Dam regulates water supply downstream on the Red Deer River, Bassano Dam and 11 other dams divert water on the Bow River and in the Bow River basin, The Oldman River Dam, and Waterton-St. Mary Headworks System manage water flow downstream of the Oldman River.^[4] The proposed Meridian dam 30 kilometers (19 mi) west of Leader and 95 kilometers (59 mi) north east of Medicine Hat was cancelled due to project costs outweighing the irrigation benefits.^[5][6]

Tributaries

• Bow
• Oldman River
• Seven Persons Creek
• Red Deer River
• Teepee Creek
• Landing Creek
• Smith Creek
• Valentine Creek
• Pine Lake Creek
• Brightwater Creek
• Beaver Creek (Saskatchewan)
• Fish Creek, Saskatchewan

See also

• List of crossings of the South Saskatchewan River
• List of rivers of Alberta
• List of rivers of Saskatchewan

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: South Saskatchewan River

External links

• Partners for the Saskatchewan River Basin

v • d • e Hydrography of Alberta Rivers Athabasca · Battle · Beaver · Bow · Brazeau · Crowsnest · Hay · Milk · North Saskatchewan · Oldman · Peace · Pembina · Red Deer · Slave · Smoky · South Saskatchewan · more... Waterfalls Athabasca · Bow · Bridal Veil · Crescent · Elbow · Panther  · Sunwapta Lakes Athabasca · Beaverhill · Bistcho · Claire · Cold · La Biche · Lesser Slave · Pigeon · Sylvan · Utikuma · Wabamun · more... Reservoirs Abraham · Barrier · Brazeau · Chestermere · Kananaskis · McGregor · Minnewanka · Glenmore · Milk River Ridge · Sikome Glaciers Athabasca · Bow · Columbia Icefield · Crowfoot · Hector · Peyto · Saskatchewan · Vulture · Wapta · Waputik Icefield