Burnside River
Encyclopedia
The Burnside River is a river in the Canadian
terrirory of Nunavut
. It has its headwaters at Contwoyto Lake
(66°2′36"N 111°14′33"W), flows across the Precambrian Shield's Contwoyto Plateau, flows through isolated and rugged tundra
, into Lake Kathawachaga, and through the Wilberforce Hills region. Before emptying into Bathurst Inlet
on the Arctic Ocean
, the Mara River (Nunavut)
empties into the Burnside River. The river has an island, Nadlak, historically notable for Inuit
use of caribou antlers as hut roof infrastructures.
The river is surrounded by continuous permafrost
. It is migratory crossing path of Bathurst Barren-ground caribou
. Wildlife includes Arctic wolf
, grizzly bears and muskox, while birds include golden eagle
, rough-legged hawk and gryfalcon. Arctic char
, Arctic grayling
, lake trout
, and whitefish
are also found in the river. Plants along the shoreline include dwarf willow
and alder
, plus 125 different wild flowers
.
Copper Inuit
artifacts and gravestones are located in the Burnside River area, along with trade items (needles, tools) they received from Dene
. The area was explored in 1821 and 1822 by Sir John Franklin
of the Hudson's Bay Company
. Present day, it is a popular wilderness whitewater canoe route, offering long stretches of continuous whitewater, as well as several more challenging sets of rapids.
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...
terrirory of Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
. It has its headwaters at Contwoyto Lake
Contwoyto Lake
Contwoyto Lake is a lake in the Kitikmeot Region of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, located near the border with the Northwest Territories. With a total area of , it is the territories' tenth largest lake.Lupin Mine is located near Contwoyto Lake...
(66°2′36"N 111°14′33"W), flows across the Precambrian Shield's Contwoyto Plateau, flows through isolated and rugged tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
, into Lake Kathawachaga, and through the Wilberforce Hills region. Before emptying into Bathurst Inlet
Bathurst Inlet
Bathurst Inlet is a deep inlet located along the northern coast of the Canadian mainland, into which the Burnside and Western Rivers empty. The name, or its native equivalent Kingoak , is also used to identify the community of Bathurst Inlet located on the shore.-Plans for a deep-water port:A...
on 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...
, the Mara River (Nunavut)
Mara River (Nunavut)
The Mara River is a river in Nunavut which flows into the Burnside River to empty into Bathurst Inlet on the Arctic Ocean. It flows north from headwaters at Nose Lake and is in length.-See also:*List of rivers of Nunavut...
empties into the Burnside River. The river has an island, Nadlak, historically notable for Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
use of caribou antlers as hut roof infrastructures.
The river is surrounded by continuous permafrost
Permafrost
In geology, permafrost, cryotic soil or permafrost soil is soil at or below the freezing point of water for two or more years. Ice is not always present, as may be in the case of nonporous bedrock, but it frequently occurs and it may be in amounts exceeding the potential hydraulic saturation of...
. It is migratory crossing path of Bathurst Barren-ground caribou
Barren-ground Caribou
Barren-ground Caribou is a subspecies of the caribou that is found mainly in the Canadian territories Nunavut and the Northwest Territories and western Greenland. It sometimes includes the similar porcupine caribou, in which case the barren-ground caribou also is found in Alaska...
. Wildlife includes Arctic wolf
Arctic Wolf
The Arctic Wolf , also called Polar Wolf or White Wolf, is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a mammal of the family Canidae. Arctic Wolves inhabit the Canadian Arctic, Alaska and the northern parts of Greenland....
, grizzly bears and muskox, while birds include golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, rough-legged hawk and gryfalcon. Arctic char
Arctic char
Arctic char or Arctic charr is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the only species of fish in Lake Hazen, on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic...
, Arctic grayling
Arctic grayling
Arctic grayling is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It comprises five subspecies native to the Nearctic and Palearctic ecozones. T. a. arcticus is widespread throughout the Arctic and Pacific drainages in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia, as well as the upper...
, lake trout
Lake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
, and whitefish
Freshwater whitefish
The freshwater whitefish are fish of the subfamily Coregoninae in the salmon family Salmonidae. Along with the freshwater whitefish, the Salmonidae includes the freshwater and anadromous trout and salmon species as well as graylings...
are also found in the river. Plants along the shoreline include dwarf willow
Dwarf Willow
Salix herbacea is a species of tiny creeping willow adapted to survive in harsh Arctic and sub-Arctic environments...
and alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, plus 125 different wild flowers
Wild Flowers
Wild Flowers may refer to:*another spelling of wildflowers, flowers that grow wild, meaning they were not intentionally seeded or planted*Wild Flowers , a 2000 Czech film*Wild Flowers , a 1980s British rock group...
.
Copper Inuit
Copper Inuit
Copper Inuit are a Canadian Inuit group who live north of the tree line, in Nunavut's Kitikmeot Region and the Northwest Territories's Inuvik Region. Most historically lived in the area around Coronation Gulf, on Victoria Island, and southern Banks Island.Their western boundary was Wise Point,...
artifacts and gravestones are located in the Burnside River area, along with trade items (needles, tools) they received from Dene
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
. The area was explored in 1821 and 1822 by Sir John Franklin
John Franklin
Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin KCH FRGS RN was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. Franklin also served as governor of Tasmania for several years. In his last expedition, he disappeared while attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic...
of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. Present day, it is a popular wilderness whitewater canoe route, offering long stretches of continuous whitewater, as well as several more challenging sets of rapids.