Capilano River facts for kids
The Capilano River is a river in British Columbia, Canada. It flows from the Coast Mountains in Vancouver's North Shore. The river runs between West Vancouver and North Vancouver (district municipality). It eventually flows into Burrard Inlet, which is across from Stanley Park.
The Capilano River is very important. It is one of the main sources of drinking water for people living in Greater Vancouver. The river flows through the Capilano watershed. A large wall called the Cleveland Dam was built in 1954. This dam creates a big lake, Capilano Lake, which holds the drinking water. To keep the water clean, the area around the lake and upstream from the dam is closed to visitors.
Before the Cleveland Dam was built, the river carried a lot of sand and dirt into Burrard Inlet. This made the inlet shallower, so special boats called dredges had to remove the extra material. This kept the inlet deep enough for ships.
The Capilano River is also famous for its historic salmon run. This is when salmon swim upstream to lay their eggs. The dam affected these salmon. So, in 1971, the Capilano Fish hatchery was opened. It is about half a kilometre downstream from the dam. The hatchery helps make sure the salmon population stays strong. It even introduced Chinook salmon to the river, hoping they would create their own healthy population.
The river flows through a lush coastal rainforest. In some parts, it carves through a granite canyon. The canyon walls can be over 40 metres (130 feet) tall! The Capilano River's water levels change with the seasons. It flows strongly during snowmelt and heavy rain. At other times, it can slow down to just a trickle.
Where the River Flows
The Capilano River starts high up on Capilano Mountain. As it flows down, many smaller streams join it, like Eastcap Creek. The river then turns towards another stream called Sister's Creek. Sister's Creek begins near The Lions, which are famous mountain peaks.
Soon after these streams meet, the Capilano River flows into Capilano Lake. This lake was formed by the Cleveland Dam. After leaving the dam, the river enters the deep Capilano Canyon. It flows through this canyon for about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles). Finally, the river reaches its lower, flatter area and empties into Burrard Inlet, near Ambleside Park.
Fun Things to Do
The Capilano River is a great place for outdoor activities. When the water levels are high, you might see whitewater kayakers. They paddle down the river in special boats. The river is considered a "Class III" whitewater river. This means it has exciting rapids, and it can be even more challenging when the water is very high.
The Capilano River Regional Park surrounds the river. This park includes the fish hatchery. It has many kilometres of hiking trails that are easy to moderate. These trails offer beautiful views alongside the river.
Every year in March, the Capilano River hosts a fun charity event called the annual duck race. Thousands of yellow rubber ducks are bought by people. Then, they are all released into the river at once! The ducks float down the river in a big yellow group. The first ducks to reach the end of the race win prizes for their owners.
