Sturgeon River (Alberta) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sturgeon River |
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Sturgeon River in St. Albert
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Cities | St. Albert |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Hoople Lake, Alberta 840 m (2,760 ft) |
| River mouth | North Saskatchewan River 600 m (2,000 ft) 53°46′05″N 113°10′15″W / 53.76806°N 113.17083°W |
| Length | 260 km (160 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 3,301 km2 (1,275 sq mi) |
The Sturgeon River is a 260 km (160 mi)-long river found in central Alberta, Canada. It is an important branch, called a tributary, of the North Saskatchewan River. The river flows through an area called Sturgeon County, which was named after this very river!
Near a place called Villeneuve, the Sturgeon River's discharge (which is how much water flows through it) can range from 0.4 to 3 cubic meters per second.
Many different kinds of fish live in the river. You might find fish like walleye, pike, perch, burbot, goldeye, sturgeon, whitefish, and sauger swimming here.
The River's Journey
The Sturgeon River begins its journey about 90 kilometres (56 mi) west of Edmonton. It starts just west of Isle Lake.
From there, it flows east towards Edmonton. When it gets about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northwest of Edmonton, near St. Albert, it turns and heads northeast.
Then, about 38 kilometres (24 mi) north-northeast of Edmonton, close to Gibbons, the river changes direction again, turning southeast. Finally, it joins the North Saskatchewan River. This meeting point is about 35 kilometres (22 mi) northeast of Edmonton and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northeast of Fort Saskatchewan.
What Feeds the River?
The Sturgeon River gets its water from many smaller rivers and lakes. These are called tributaries and are like smaller streams that flow into a bigger river.
Here are some of the smaller rivers that join the Sturgeon River:
- Rivière Qui Barre
- Atim Creek
- Little Egg Creek
Many lakes are also part of the area that feeds the Sturgeon River. This entire area is called the watershed. Some of these lakes include Isle Lake, Lac Ste. Anne, Birch Lake, Sandy Lake, Deadman Lake, Matchayaw Lake, Gladu Lake, Atim Lake, and Big Lake.
