Saskatchewan River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Map of Saskatchewan River & Watershed
Country	Canada
Region	Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Physical characteristics
2nd source	Confluence of North and South Saskatchewan Rivers 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan 380 m (1,250 ft) 53°14′6″N 105°4′58″W / 53.23500°N 105.08278°W / 53.23500; -105.08278
River mouth	Lake Winnipeg Grand Rapids, Manitoba 220 m (720 ft) 53°11′6″N 99°15′22″W / 53.18500°N 99.25611°W / 53.18500; -99.25611
Length	547 km (340 mi)
Basin features
Basin size	335,900 km2 (129,700 sq mi)

The Saskatchewan River is a very important river in North America. It's part of a huge area where all the water flows towards Hudson Bay. This area is called the Hudson Bay watershed. The river starts high up in the Rocky Mountains in Canada. It then flows east all the way to Lake Winnipeg. From there, its waters eventually reach Hudson Bay.

On its long journey, the Saskatchewan River travels through three Canadian provinces. It starts in Alberta, flows through Saskatchewan, and finally reaches Manitoba. The river system, from its farthest point, covers about 1,939 kilometres (1,205 miles).

What Are Its Main Branches?

The Saskatchewan River is formed by two large rivers joining together. These are the North Saskatchewan River and the South Saskatchewan River. Both of these are big and important rivers on their own.

• North Saskatchewan River
  • This river has its own branch called the Battle River.
• South Saskatchewan River
  • This river has several branches that feed into it:
    • Red Deer River
    • Bow River
    • Oldman River

Where Does the River Start and End?

The main Saskatchewan River officially begins when its two big branches, the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers, meet. This meeting point is about 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. At this spot, the river is about 380 metres (1,247 feet) above sea level.

The river then flows for about 547 kilometres (340 miles). It ends when it flows into Lake Winnipeg near Grand Rapids, Manitoba. Here, the river is about 220 metres (722 feet) above sea level.

How Big Is the River's Area?

The entire area that collects water for the Saskatchewan River system is huge. It covers about 335,900 square kilometres (129,690 square miles). This makes it one of the largest river basins in Canada.

The amount of water flowing in the river changes throughout the year. Near The Pas, Manitoba, the river's average flow is about 634 cubic metres per second (22,390 cubic feet per second). This is like 634 large bathtubs of water flowing by every second! Sometimes, it can be as low as 54 cubic metres per second, and other times, it can be as high as 3,000 cubic metres per second.

Images for kids

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  May 11, 2007 NASA photo of a portion of the Saskatchewan River Delta and Cedar Lake

See also

In Spanish: Río Saskatchewan para niños