Tuya River

Tuya River
Tuya River is located in British Columbia
Tuya River
Mouth of Tuya River
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
DistrictCassiar Land District
Physical characteristics
SourceHigh Tuya Lake
 • locationTuya Range
 • coordinates59°13′42″N 130°31′25″W / 59.22833°N 130.52361°W / 59.22833; -130.52361[3]
 • elevation1,480 m (4,860 ft)[4][2]
MouthStikine River
 • coordinates
58°2′25″N 130°51′4″W / 58.04028°N 130.85111°W / 58.04028; -130.85111[1][2]
 • elevation
236 m (774 ft)[4]
Length200 km (120 mi)[5]
Basin size3,575 km2 (1,380 sq mi),[6]
Discharge 
 • average36.9 m3/s (1,300 cu ft/s)[6]
Basin features
Topo mapsNTS 104J Dease Lake
NTS 104O Jennings River

The Tuya River is a major tributary of the Stikine River in northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada.[1][7] From its source at High Tuya Lake[8] in Tuya Mountains Provincial Park[9] just south of Ash Mountain, the highest peak of the Tuya Range, the Tuya River flows south about 200 km (120 mi)[5] to meet the Stikine River in the Grand Canyon of the Stikine.[10] The Tuya River's main tributary is the Little Tuya River. The Tuya River divides the Tanzilla Plateau on the east from the Kawdy Plateau, to the northwest, and the Nahlin Plateau, to the southwest. All three are considered sub-plateaus of the Stikine Plateau.[11] The Tuya River's watershed covers 3,575 km2 (1,380 sq mi),[6] and its mean annual discharge is estimated at 36.9 m3/s (1,300 cu ft/s).[6] The mouth of the Tuya River is located about 24 km (15 mi) northeast of Telegraph Creek, British Columbia, about 67 km (42 mi) southwest of Dease Lake, British Columbia, and about 210 km (130 mi) east of Juneau, Alaska. The Tuya River's watershed's land cover is classified as 35.7% shrubland, 31.4% conifer forest, 14.0% mixed forest, 7.2% herbaceous, and small amounts of other cover.[6]

A tuya is a geologic term for a flat-topped, steep-sided volcano formed when lava erupts through a thick glacier or ice sheet. The geologic term comes from Tuya Butte, which was named in association with Tuya Lake.[12] The term may come from the Tahltan language.[13]

The Tuya River is in the traditional territory of the Tahltan First Nation, of the Tahltan people,[14][15] the Kaska Dena First Nation, and the Teslin Tlingit First Nation.[9]

  1. ^ a b "Tuya River". BC Geographical Names.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference toporama was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Derived from BCGNIS, topographic maps, and Toporama
  4. ^ a b Elevation derived from ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, using GeoLocator, BCGNIS coordinates, and topographic maps.
  5. ^ a b Length measured using BCGNIS coordinates, topographic maps, and Toporama
  6. ^ a b c d e "Northwest Water Tool". BC Water Tool. GeoBC, Integrated Land Management Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Government of British Columbia. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Tuya River". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada.
  8. ^ "High Tuya Lake". BC Geographical Names.
  9. ^ a b "Tuya Mountains Provincial Park". BC Parks. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Grand Canyon of the Stikine". BC Geographical Names.
  11. ^ Mathews, W.H. (1986). "Physiographic map of the Canadian Cordillera; Geological Survey of Canada, "A" Series Map" (PDF). Natural Resources Canada. doi:10.4095/122821. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Tuya Butte". BC Geographical Names.
  13. ^ "Tuya Lake". BC Geographical Names.
  14. ^ "Our Territory". Tahltan Central Government. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Dah Ki Mi — "Our House"". Tahltan Band Council. Retrieved 31 August 2021.