Hornaday River facts for kids

The Hornaday River is a river located in Northern Canada, far above the Arctic Circle. It is also sometimes called the Big River or Homaday River. This river flows through the Nunavut and Northwest Territories regions. It is an important waterway in the Canadian Arctic, known for its beautiful canyons and waterfalls.

The river's upper part was first found in 1868. It was named Rivière La Roncière-le Noury after a French admiral, Adalbert Camille Marie Clément de La Roncière-Le Noury. Later, in 1899, the lower part of the river was discovered and named Hornaday, after an American zoologist named William Temple Hornaday. Many years later, people realized that these two parts were actually the same river.

River's Journey

The Hornaday River starts in the western Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut. This is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Bluenose Lake, which is also called Takipaq.

The river first flows towards the west-southwest. It then crosses into the Northwest Territories. Here, it runs along the southern edge of the Melville Hills. This area is part of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, just south of Tuktut Nogait National Park.

After this, the river turns and flows northwest right through Tuktut Nogait National Park. Its deep canyons and amazing waterfalls are some of the main attractions of the park. Finally, the Hornaday River flows into Darnley Bay, which is part of the Amundsen Gulf. This is about 14 kilometres (9 mi) east of the Inuit community of Paulatuk.

The Hornaday River is about 190 kilometres (120 mi) long. A smaller river, the Little Hornaday River, joins it northwest of the park. Other smaller streams like First Creek, Second Creek, Aklak Creek, George Creek, and Rummy Creek also flow into the Hornaday. Some lakes, including Rummy Lake, Seven Islands Lake, and Hornaday Lake, are also part of this river system. The Hornaday River flows alongside the Horton River to its west and the Brock River to its east.

One of the river's notable features is La Roncière Falls. This waterfall is about 23-metre (75 ft) tall and is located 274 metres (899 ft) above sea level. It was officially named by the Geographical Names Board of Canada in 1952.

Nature Along the River

The area around the Hornaday River is part of the Arctic region. The ground here has special features, including layers of coal.

The river's basin, which is the land area where all the water flows into the river, stretches between Great Bear Lake and the Arctic Ocean. In its middle section, the river has a wide channel that is about 65 kilometres (40 mi) long. The river flows through different types of land, including wide rock valleys, rocky canyons, and a delta where it meets the Arctic Ocean. The land around the river is tundra. It has a layer of permafrost (permanently frozen ground) about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) below the surface. This means that rainwater flows directly into the river instead of soaking into the ground.

Plants

The plants along the Hornaday River are typical for the tundra. You can find meadows of sedge and lupine. There are also some patches of willow trees, especially along the lower parts of the river. Unlike the nearby Horton River, you won't find any tall spruce trees along the Hornaday.

Animals

The Hornaday River is home to many fish, especially Arctic charr. The people of Paulatuk keep a close eye on the Arctic charr population. In the past, people fished for Arctic charr for business and for sports. Today, it is mainly fished for food by the local community. Other types of fish found in the river include Arctic cisco, Arctic grayling, broad whitefish, burbot, longnose sucker, and nine-spined stickleback. Small fish called Capelin are a common food source for these fish.

The bluenose barren-ground caribou herd uses the area west of the Hornaday River, extending south to the Little Hornaday River, as their calving grounds. This is where the mother caribou give birth to their calves.

River's Past

Ancient Discoveries

Hundreds of ancient sites have been found along the Hornaday River within Tuktut Nogait National Park. These sites show that people from the Thule culture and even earlier times lived here. Most of these sites were temporary camps used for different seasons or by families over many generations. They include things like markers, rock formations, fireplaces, hunting blinds (places to hide while hunting), areas for drying meat, and old tools or parts of komatiks (sleds).

Old Coal Mine

There is an old coal mine site on the west side of the Hornaday River. It is north of where George Creek and Rummy Creek meet, about 32 kilometres (20 mi) southeast of Paulatuk. This mine operated from 1936 to 1941. It used both open-pit mining (digging from the surface) and underground mining methods.