South Nahanni River

South Nahanni River
Map of the South Nahanni River
Location
Country	Canada
Territories	Northwest Territories Yukon
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Selwyn Mountains[1]
• elevation	1,600 m (5,200 ft)[2]
Mouth
• location	Liard River[1]
• coordinates	61°03′11.09″N 123°19′41.27″W / 61.0530806°N 123.3281306°W / 61.0530806; -123.3281306 (South Nahanni River mouth)
• elevation	350 m (1,150 ft)[2]
Length	540 km (340 mi)[2]
Basin size	31,100 km2 (12,000 sq mi)[3]
Discharge
• average	404 m3/s (14,300 cu ft/s)[3]

The South Nahanni River is a major tributary of the Liard River, located roughly 500 km (310 mi) west of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the centerpiece of Nahanni National Park Reserve. It flows from the Mackenzie Mountains in the west, through the Selwyn Mountains, growing as it heads east over the majestic Virginia Falls, and finally empties into the Liard River. The Nahanni has a unique geological history. It was formed when the area was a broad flat plain, forming a winding course typical of flatland rivers. As the mountains lifted, the river cut four deep canyons into the rock, maintaining its eccentric course.

The Dene and their ancestors have lived and hunted in the Nahanni area for thousands of years. In the early 19th century, the first Europeans came to the area, seeking fur and gold; however, it wasn't until the 1950s, with the publishing of Dangerous River by Raymond M. Patterson that the legends about the region were put to rest and the river finally came to prominence. Since that time, the Nahanni has become one of the prime wilderness rivers in Canada, frequented as a whitewater destination by adventure seekers around the world.