Athabasca River

Athabasca River
Athabasca River in Jasper National Park
Athabasca River watershed in western Canada
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
Physical characteristics
SourceColumbia Icefield
 • locationJasper National Park
 • coordinates52°10′4″N 117°25′50″W / 52.16778°N 117.43056°W / 52.16778; -117.43056
 • elevation1,520 m (4,990 ft)(foot of glacier)
MouthLake Athabasca
 • coordinates
58°37′35″N 110°50′5″W / 58.62639°N 110.83472°W / 58.62639; -110.83472
 • elevation
205 m (673 ft)
Length1,231 km (765 mi)[1]
Basin size95,300 km2 (36,800 sq mi)[1]
Discharge 
 • locationAthabasca Delta[2]
 • average783 m3/s (27,700 cu ft/s)[2]
 • minimum75.0 m3/s (2,650 cu ft/s)
 • maximum4,790 m3/s (169,000 cu ft/s)
[3][4]

The Athabasca River (French: Rivière Athabasca) is a river in Alberta, Canada, which originates at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park and flows more than 1,231 km (765 mi) before emptying into Lake Athabasca.[5] Much of the land along its banks is protected in national and provincial parks, and the river is designated a Canadian Heritage River for its historical and cultural importance. The scenic Athabasca Falls is located about 30 km (19 mi) upstream from Jasper.

  1. ^ a b Atlas of Canada. "Canadian Rivers". Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-16.
  2. ^ a b Benke and Cushing, p. 845
  3. ^ "Natural Resources Canada-Canadian Geographical Names (Athabasca River)". Retrieved 2014-08-29.
  4. ^ "Atlas of Canada Toporama". Retrieved 2014-08-29.
  5. ^ "Ecology & Wonder in the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site", Robert W. Sandford, AU Press, ISBN 978-1-89742557-2, page 160.