Driftpile River

Driftpile River
The Dirftpile River near Lesser Slave Lake
Map
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationSwan Hills
 • coordinates54°52′24″N 115°45′51″W / 54.87333°N 115.76417°W / 54.87333; -115.76417
 • elevation1,153 m (3,783 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Lesser Slave Lake
 • coordinates
55°22′37″N 115°38′27″W / 55.37694°N 115.64083°W / 55.37694; -115.64083 (Sturgeon River mouth)
 • elevation
577 m (1,893 ft)

The Driftpile River is a medium-length river forming in central Alberta. The Drifpile flows into Lesser Slave Lake, which flows out through the Lesser Slave River, a major tributary of the Athabasca River. The Geological Survey of Canada was using the name Driftpile by 1892. The river was named because of the large amount of driftwood that collected at the river's mouth.[1][2]

The river forms in Swan Hills region of central Alberta and heads north towards Lesser Slave Lake. The Driftpile's main tributary is the Little Driftpile River. The river is bridged by Alberta Highway 2 and flows past the hamlet of Driftpile, Alberta, as well as the Driftpile River First Nation Indian reserve.[3]

  1. ^ Aubrey, Merrily. Place Names of Alberta: Volume IV, Northern Alberta. Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 1996. Page 59.
  2. ^ Place-names of Alberta. Ottawa: Geographic Board of Canada. 1928. p. 44.
  3. ^ Mussio Ventures.South Peace Alberta Mapbook. Burnaby: Backroad Mapbooks, 2004.