List of rivers of Saskatchewan facts for kids

This map shows where rivers flow in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

This page is a list of the most important rivers in Saskatchewan, a province in Canada. Rivers are like natural highways for water, flowing across the land. They are very important for nature and for people.

Saskatchewan has many rivers. Some of them are very long and wide. They carry water across the province. This water eventually flows into big oceans or large lakes.

Major Rivers in Saskatchewan

People navigating rapids on the Sturgeon-Weir River.

The La Loche River in Saskatchewan.

The University Bridge crosses the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon.

Otter rapids on the Churchill River.

The Beaver River north of Green Lake.

Moose Mountain Creek, near Carlyle.

Here are some of the biggest and most important rivers in Saskatchewan. We can see how long they are and how much land their water collects. This land is called a "drainage area."

Source: Statistics Canada

Rivers by Drainage Basins

A drainage basin is like a giant bowl. All the rain and snow that falls into this "bowl" eventually flows into one main river. This river then carries the water to a larger body of water, like an ocean or a big lake. Saskatchewan's rivers flow into different major drainage basins.

Arctic Ocean Drainage Basin

Rivers in this basin flow north. Their water eventually reaches the Arctic Ocean.

• Main Rivers:
  • Fond du Lac River
  • Cree River
    • Rapid River
  • Geikie River
  • Clearwater River
    • Graham Creek
  • Firebag River

Hudson Bay Drainage Basin

Many of Saskatchewan's rivers flow east. Their water ends up in Hudson Bay, which is part of the Arctic Ocean.

• Main Rivers:
  • Assiniboine River
    • Qu'Appelle River
      • Moose Jaw River

*Avonlea Creek *Thunder Creek

• • • • Wascana Creek
      • Boggy Creek
      • Last Mountain Creek

*Arm River *Lanigan Creek

• • • • Pheasant Creek
    • Whitesand River
      • Spirit Creek
      • Yorkton Creek

*Crescent Creek

• • • Souris River
      • Graham Creek
      • Antler River
      • Des Lacs River
      • Gainsborough Creek
      • Moose Mountain Creek
      • Long Creek
      • Pipestone Creek
  • Churchill River
    • La Loche River
    • Dillon River
    • Beaver River
      • Waterhen River

*Rusty Creek *Cold River **Martineau River

• • • • Cowan River

*Big River

• • • • Meadow River
      • Makwa River
    • Haultain River
    • Smoothstone River
    • Whitefish River
    • Reindeer River
      • Cochrane River

*Geikie River

• • • Nemei River
    • Rapid River
      • Montreal River

*Waskesiu River *MacLennan River

• • • • Bow River
      • Nipekamew River

*Nipekamew Creek

• • Saskatchewan River
    • Carrot River
      • Melfort Creek
      • Birch River
    • Pasquia River
    • Sturgeon-Weir River
      • Ballantyne River
      • Goose River
    • Torch River
      • White Gull Creek
      • Stewart Creek

*Caribou Creek

• • • Mossy River
      • McDougal Creek
    • North Saskatchewan River
      • Turtlelake River
      • Battle River
      • Eagle Creek
      • Spruce River
      • Sturgeon River

*Shell River

• • • South Saskatchewan River
      • Red Deer River
      • Swift Current Creek (flows into Lake Diefenbaker)
      • Brightwater Creek
      • Fish Creek
  • Overflowing River
  • Red Deer River
    • Armit River
    • Fir River
    • Etomami River
      • Pepaw River
      • Piwei River
    • Greenwater Creek
  • Swan River
  • Woody River
    • Midnight Creek

Gulf of Mexico Drainage Basin

Some rivers in southern Saskatchewan flow south. Their water eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean.

• Main Rivers:
  • Poplar River
  • Frenchman River
  • Battle Creek
  • Big Muddy Creek

Endorheic Basins

An endorheic basin is a special type of drainage basin. In these areas, rivers and streams flow into a lake or a low-lying area, but the water never reaches the ocean. It either evaporates or sinks into the ground.

• Old Wives Lake Basin:
  • Wood River
• Bigstick Lake Basin:
  • Maple Creek
• Manitou Lake Basin:
  • Eyehill Creek

See also

• List of lakes of Saskatchewan
• Geography of Saskatchewan
• List of rivers of Canada