Harrison River facts for kids

The Harrison River is a short but wide river in British Columbia, Canada. It flows into the Fraser River near a place called Chehalis. The Harrison River starts from Harrison Lake and is like a natural extension of the Lillooet River, which flows into Harrison Lake.

River Travel and History

The Harrison River is easy to travel on by boat. During the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, people needed to clear out sandbars where the Harrison River met the Fraser River. These sandy areas were known as "the Riffles" or "the Falls of the Harrison."

Clearing these shallow spots helped boats reach Harrison Lake. At the northern end of the lake, the town of Port Douglas was set up. This town was a port for the Douglas Road, a route to Lillooet in the upper Fraser Canyon. This route helped people avoid difficult areas in the lower Canyon.

There are also some small rapids and tricky waters in the first part of the river after Harrison Lake. This area flows through a forested canyon.

River Features and Crossings

After the Chehalis River joins the Harrison, the river gets much wider. This wide area is called Harrison Bay. From there, the Harrison River flows into the Fraser River.

The Harrison River is crossed by two main structures. One is a bridge for Highway 7, connecting Chehalis and the Municipality of Kent. The other crossing is for the main railway line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. This railway crosses near the old mill town of Harrison Mills. You can also find the historic post office and store preserved at Kilby Provincial Park nearby.

Wildlife in the Harrison River

The Harrison and Lillooet Rivers are home to many types of fish. Some of the most important fish species include different kinds of salmon. These are chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon, chum salmon, and pink salmon.

Other fish found here are rainbow trout and coastal cutthroat trout. You can also find Largescale sucker and Redside shiner in these waters.

Water Flow and Measurements

Scientists use special tools called stream gauges to measure the water levels and how much water flows in the Harrison River and Harrison Lake. The gauge furthest downstream is located at Harrison Hot Springs, just below Harrison Lake.

This gauge has been working for a long time. It shows that the river's average water flow each year is about 442 cubic meters per second (15,600 cubic feet per second). However, the Chehalis River joins the Harrison River after this gauge, near Harrison Mills.

Another gauge on the Chehalis River near Harrison Mills shows its average yearly flow is about 39.1 cubic meters per second (1,380 cubic feet per second). This means that the total average flow of the Harrison River when it reaches the Fraser River is at least 481.1 cubic meters per second (17,000 cubic feet per second).

See also

In Spanish: Río Harrison para niños