Muskwa River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Muskwa River |
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Muskwa near Fort Nelson
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Fern Lake, Muskwa Ranges 1,400 m (4,600 ft) 57°45′14″N 124°47′20″W / 57.75393°N 124.78889°W |
| River mouth | Fort Nelson River 305 m (1,001 ft) 58°49′49″N 122°32′34″W / 58.8304°N 122.5427°W |
| Length | 257 km (160 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 20,300 km2 (7,800 sq mi) |
The Muskwa River is a river that flows for about 257 kilometres (160 mi) through northern British Columbia, Canada. It is an important branch, called a tributary, of the Fort Nelson River. The Fort Nelson River is part of the much larger Mackenzie River system.
The Muskwa River starts at Fern Lake in the Bedaux Pass within the Northern Rocky Mountains. From there, it generally flows east, then north, and then east again. It joins the Fort Nelson River just east of the town of Fort Nelson.
The river drops about 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) from its start to its end. Its journey takes it down from the Rocky Mountain foothills. It flows through sub-alpine areas (high mountain regions) and boreal forests (cold, northern forests). Finally, it winds through the forests and muskegs (wet, spongy ground) of the huge Liard River plains.
Many parts of this wild river and the land it drains (its watershed) are inside the Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park. This park is part of the bigger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. This area is a popular place for outdoor adventures like hiking and camping.
What's in a Name?
A special type of rock layer, called the Muskwa Formation, was named after this river. Also, the Muskwa Ranges are a group of mountains in the Rockies. They are found between the Peace and Liard rivers, and they are also named after the Muskwa River.
Rivers and Creeks that Join the Muskwa
Many smaller rivers and creeks flow into the Muskwa River. These are called its tributaries. Some of the main ones include:
- Fern Lake
- Crehan Creek
- Reimer Creek
- Wenger Creek
- Pentreath Creek
- Varrick Creek
- Kluachesi Creek
- Beckman Creek
- Tuchodi River
- Chlotapecta Creek
- Chischa River
- Tetsa River
- Gairdner Creek
- Steamboat Creek
- Kledo Creek
- Raspberry Creek
- Miduski Creek
- Akue Creek
- Pouce Creek
- Prophet River
