The Exploits River is a Canadian

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...

 river

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 the province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...

. It flows through the Exploits Valley

Exploits Valley

The Exploits Valley is a Canadian valley in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the central part of the island of Newfoundland.-Natural environment:...

 in the central part of the island of Newfoundland.

The 246 km river is the longest river on the island draining an area of 11,000 km² and is the second longest in the province after the Churchill River

Churchill River (Atlantic)

The Churchill River is a river in Newfoundland and Labrador which flows east from the Smallwood Reservoir in Labrador into the Atlantic Ocean via Lake Melville. The river is long and drains an area of ; it is the longest river in the province...

.

The river drains Red Indian Lake

Red Indian Lake

Red Indian Lake is located in the western interior of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The downstream end of the lake drains into the Exploits River. This winds through the interior of the island and eventually exits into the Atlantic Ocean through...

 at its starting point and discharges into the Bay of Exploits

Bay of Exploits

The Bay of Exploits is a large bay in the northeast of Newfoundland. It extends from the mouth of the Exploits River and opens on to Notre Dame Bay to the north. It is approximately 1,000 square kilometers The Bay of Exploits is a large bay in the northeast of Newfoundland. It extends from the...

 near the port town of Botwood

Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador

Northwest: Point LeamingtonNorth: Northern ArmNortheast: Bay of Exploits, Burnt Arm, LaurencetonWest: Division No. 6, Subd. CBotwoodEast: Bay of Exploits, Division No. 6, Subd. A...

.

The Exploits River provides habitat for spawning

Spawn (biology)

Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...

 Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic salmon

The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....

 and other species of fish. The salmon population increased dramatically when fish ladder

Fish ladder

A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass or fish steps, is a structure on or around artificial barriers to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration. Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps into the waters on...

s were installed, opening up sections of the river that had been previously inaccessible.

Tributaries

• Lloyds River
• Victoria River
  Victoria River (Newfoundland)
  The Victoria River is a tributary of the Exploits River in western Newfoundland, Canada.The Victoria River flows eastward from the Long Range Mountains to join the Exploits River at Red Indian Lake. It is 137 km in length.-See also:...
  
  
• Buchans River