Besa River
Encyclopedia
Besa River is a river
in northern British Columbia
, Canada
. It is a tributary of the Prophet River
.
The river flows through the Muskwa Ranges
, and is the backbone of the Redfern-Keily Provincial Park
, part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area
.. It gives the name to the Besa River Formation
, a stratigraphical unit of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
.
of the Northern Rockies, on the slopes of the Great Snow Mountain, Great Rock Peak, Mount Circe and Mount Eurylochos, where it draws water from glaciers such as the Ithaca Glacier. The river flows eastwards through the Redfern-Keily Provincial Park
, established along the upper course of the Besa River and its tributaries. It flows east and south-east, between the peaks of Redfern Mountain to the north and Mount Ulysses and Mount Penelope to the south, receiving waters from the Achaean Glacier. It then flows through the Redfern Lake, then turns north around Mount Dopp, after receiving the waters of Fairy Lake and Nordling Creek. The Petrie Creek and Keily Creek also flow into the Besa River, which then turns east, then north again after receiving the Neves Creek. Granger Creek also flows in the Besa River west of Klingzut Mountain. Shortly after, Besa River flows into the Prophet River
as a right tributary, at an elevation of 820 metres (2,690.3 ft).
Its waters are carried via the Prophet River, Muskwa River
, Fort Nelson River
, Liard River
and Mackenzie River
, ultimately into the Arctic Ocean
.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in northern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is a tributary of the Prophet River
Prophet River
Prophet River is a river in northern British Columbia, Canada. It is a tributary of the Muskwa River.The Prophet River Hotsprings Provincial Park is established on the upper course, and the Prophet River Wayside Provincial Park is located along the middle course of the river...
.
The river flows through the Muskwa Ranges
Muskwa Ranges
The Muskwa Ranges are a group of mountain ranges in northern British Columbia, Canada. They are part of the Northern Rockies section of the Rocky Mountains and are bounded on their west by the Rocky Mountain Trench and on their east by the Rocky Mountain Foothills...
, and is the backbone of the Redfern-Keily Provincial Park
Redfern-Keily Provincial Park
Redfern-Keily Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.It is established in the Muskwa Ranges of the northern Rockies, along the Besa River and its tributaries. It was named after William Keily...
, part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area
Muskwa-Kechika Management Area
The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area is provincially-run tract of land in the far north of British Columbia. It has an advisory board that advises the government on land-use decisions. Established by provincial government legislation in 1998, the area is meant to be preserved as a wild area, but...
.. It gives the name to the Besa River Formation
Besa River Formation
The Besa River Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Devonian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.It takes the name from Besa River, a tributary of the Prophet River, and was first described in outcrop near the Muskwa River, in the Muskwa Ranges by F.A. Kidd in 1963.-Lithology:The Besa...
, a stratigraphical unit of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin
The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin is a vast sedimentary basin underlying of Western Canada including southwestern Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, Alberta, northeastern British Columbia and the southwest corner of the Northwest Territories. It consists of a massive wedge of sedimentary rock...
.
Course
The Besa River headwaters are found high in the Muskwa RangesMuskwa Ranges
The Muskwa Ranges are a group of mountain ranges in northern British Columbia, Canada. They are part of the Northern Rockies section of the Rocky Mountains and are bounded on their west by the Rocky Mountain Trench and on their east by the Rocky Mountain Foothills...
of the Northern Rockies, on the slopes of the Great Snow Mountain, Great Rock Peak, Mount Circe and Mount Eurylochos, where it draws water from glaciers such as the Ithaca Glacier. The river flows eastwards through the Redfern-Keily Provincial Park
Redfern-Keily Provincial Park
Redfern-Keily Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.It is established in the Muskwa Ranges of the northern Rockies, along the Besa River and its tributaries. It was named after William Keily...
, established along the upper course of the Besa River and its tributaries. It flows east and south-east, between the peaks of Redfern Mountain to the north and Mount Ulysses and Mount Penelope to the south, receiving waters from the Achaean Glacier. It then flows through the Redfern Lake, then turns north around Mount Dopp, after receiving the waters of Fairy Lake and Nordling Creek. The Petrie Creek and Keily Creek also flow into the Besa River, which then turns east, then north again after receiving the Neves Creek. Granger Creek also flows in the Besa River west of Klingzut Mountain. Shortly after, Besa River flows into the Prophet River
Prophet River
Prophet River is a river in northern British Columbia, Canada. It is a tributary of the Muskwa River.The Prophet River Hotsprings Provincial Park is established on the upper course, and the Prophet River Wayside Provincial Park is located along the middle course of the river...
as a right tributary, at an elevation of 820 metres (2,690.3 ft).
Its waters are carried via the Prophet River, Muskwa River
Muskwa River
The Muskwa River flows 257 km through northern British Columbia, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Fort Nelson River - part of the Mackenzie River system. The river rises at Fern Lake in the Bedaux Pass in the Northern Rocky Mountains. From there, it flows generally east, then north,...
, Fort Nelson River
Fort Nelson River
The Fort Nelson River is located in north-eastern British Columbia, Canada. It flows 517 km generally north-westward to the Liard River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River, which empties into the Arctic Ocean...
, Liard River
Liard River
The Liard River flows through Yukon, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada. Rising in the Saint Cyr Range of the Pelly Mountains in southeastern Yukon, it flows southeast through British Columbia, marking the northern end of the Rocky Mountains and then curving northeast back...
and Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
, ultimately into the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
.
Tributaries
- Ithaca Glacier
- Achaean Glacier
- Redfern Lake
- Fairy Lake
- Nordling Creek
- Petrie Creek
- Keily Creek
- Neves Creek
- Granger Creek