Fontas River
Encyclopedia
The Fontas River, originally Fantasque's River, after the name of a chief of the Sekani
people, is a river
in northeastern British Columbia
, Canada
, having its origin in northwestern Alberta
, Canada
. It joins the Sikanni Chief River
southeast of the town of Fort Nelson, British Columbia
, forming the Fort Nelson River
.
Sekani
Sekani is the name of an Athabaskan First Nations people in the Northern Interior of British Columbia. Their territory includes the Finlay and Parsnip River drainages of the Rocky Mountain Trench. The neighbors of the Sekani are the Babine to the west, Dakelh to the south, Dunneza to the east, and...
people, is a 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 northeastern 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...
, having its origin in northwestern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, 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 joins the Sikanni Chief River
Sikanni Chief River
The Sikanni Chief River is a river in the Northern Rocky Mountains region of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It joins the Fontas River to form the Fort Nelson River southeast of the town of Fort Nelson. Its headwaters are near Mount McCusker, northeast of the head of the Finlay...
southeast of the town of Fort Nelson, British Columbia
Fort Nelson, British Columbia
Fort Nelson is a town of approximately 5000 residents in British Columbia's northeastern corner. It is the administrative centre of the newly formed Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, a first for BC. The majority of Fort Nelson's economic activities have historically been concentrated in the...
, forming the 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...
.
"Fontas River...drains a large extent of country, roughly 3600 square miles. Its water, mainly derived from surface water and swamps, is dark in colour, and at its mouth forms a deep contrast to the white silty water of the Sikanni Chief.... The Fort Nelson River is formed by the junction of the Sikanni Chief and Fontas Rivers, at which point it is from 400 to 500 feet wide...." (extracts from the report of G.B. Milligan, surveyor, 14 December 1914)