Slave River
Encyclopedia
The Slave River is a Canadian
river that flows from Lake Athabasca
in northeastern Alberta
and empties into Great Slave Lake
in the Northwest Territories
.
This river's name is thought to come from the Athabaskan
"Deh Gah Got'ine", the name for the Slavey
group of the Dene
First Nations
and has nothing to do with slavery
. The Chipewyan
had displaced other native people from this region.
The Slave River and the rapids around Fort Smith
are some of the best whitewater kayaking
in the world. There are four sets of rapids: Pelican, Rapids of the Drowned, Mountain Portage, and Cassette. The rapids range from easy class I to unrunnable killer class VI holes. Huge volume, massive waves, and the home of the northern most river pelican
colony in North America characterize this river. The pelicans nest on many of the islands at the aptly named Mountain Portage Rapids. These islands serve as a sanctuary to the birds and are closed to human traffic from April 15 to September 15. It is very important to respect these regulations as human intrusions into the pelican nesting area cause widespread nest abandonment.
Boaters have been killed in the Slave River rapids. The earliest recorded fatalities occurred as a part of Grant's ill fated expedition on the far river right of the Rapids of the Drowned (a class IV feature). A more recent fatality occurred in the Land of a Thousand Holes (class IV).
, at the forks of Peace River
and Riviere Des Roches
, which drains the Athabasca River
and Lake Athabasca
. The Slave River then flows north into the Northwest Territories
and into the Great Slave Lake north of Fort Resolution
. Water from this river reaches the Arctic Ocean
through the Mackenzie River
.
The river is 434 km
in length, and has a cumulative drainage area of 616,400 km².
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 that flows from Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca is located in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan and the northeast corner of Alberta between 58° and 60° N.-History:The name in the Dene language originally referred only to the large delta formed by the confluence the Athabasca River at the southwest corner of the lake...
in northeastern 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...
and empties into Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada , the deepest lake in North America at , and the ninth-largest lake in the world. It is long and wide. It covers an area of in the southern part of the territory. Its given volume ranges from to and up to ...
in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
.
This river's name is thought to come from the Athabaskan
Athabaskan languages
Athabaskan or Athabascan is a large group of indigenous peoples of North America, located in two main Southern and Northern groups in western North America, and of their language family...
"Deh Gah Got'ine", the name for the Slavey
Slavey
The Slavey are a First Nations aboriginal people of the Dene group, indigenous to the Great Slave Lake region, in Canada's Northwest Territories, and extending into northeastern British Columbia and northwestern Alberta....
group of the 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...
First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
and has nothing to do with slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. The Chipewyan
Chipewyan
The Chipewyan are a Dene Aboriginal people in Canada, whose ancestors were the Taltheilei...
had displaced other native people from this region.
Rapids and kayaking
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
Fort Smith is a town in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located in the southeastern portion of the Northwest Territories, on the Slave River and adjacent to the NWT/Alberta border.-History:Fort Smith's history began because of the Slave River and the vital link...
are some of the best whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
in the world. There are four sets of rapids: Pelican, Rapids of the Drowned, Mountain Portage, and Cassette. The rapids range from easy class I to unrunnable killer class VI holes. Huge volume, massive waves, and the home of the northern most river pelican
American White Pelican
The American White Pelican is a large aquatic bird from the order Pelecaniformes. It breeds in interior North America, moving south and to the coasts, as far as Central America, in winter....
colony in North America characterize this river. The pelicans nest on many of the islands at the aptly named Mountain Portage Rapids. These islands serve as a sanctuary to the birds and are closed to human traffic from April 15 to September 15. It is very important to respect these regulations as human intrusions into the pelican nesting area cause widespread nest abandonment.
Boaters have been killed in the Slave River rapids. The earliest recorded fatalities occurred as a part of Grant's ill fated expedition on the far river right of the Rapids of the Drowned (a class IV feature). A more recent fatality occurred in the Land of a Thousand Holes (class IV).
Course
Slave River originates in the Peace-Athabasca DeltaPeace-Athabasca Delta
The Peace–Athabasca Delta is a large freshwater, inland delta in northeastern Alberta located where the Peace and Athabasca Rivers join the Slave River at the western end of Lake Athabasca.-Conservation :...
, at the forks of Peace River
Peace River (Canada)
The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...
and Riviere Des Roches
Rivière des Roches
The Rivière des Roches is a river on the Indian Ocean island of Réunion. It flows northeast from the centre of the island, reaching the sea close to the town of Bras-Panon. The Rivière des Marsouins follows a largely parallel course, reaching the sea three kilometres to the south....
, which drains the Athabasca River
Athabasca River
The Athabasca River originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada...
and Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca is located in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan and the northeast corner of Alberta between 58° and 60° N.-History:The name in the Dene language originally referred only to the large delta formed by the confluence the Athabasca River at the southwest corner of the lake...
. The Slave River then flows north into the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and into the Great Slave Lake north of Fort Resolution
Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories
Fort Resolution is a "settlement corporation" in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada...
. Water from this river reaches 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...
through the 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...
.
The river is 434 km
1 E5 m
A length of 100 kilometers , as a rough amount, is relatively common in measurements on Earth and for some astronomical objects.It is the altitude at which the FAI defines spaceflight to begin....
in length, and has a cumulative drainage area of 616,400 km².
Tributaries
- Peace-Athabasca DeltaPeace-Athabasca DeltaThe Peace–Athabasca Delta is a large freshwater, inland delta in northeastern Alberta located where the Peace and Athabasca Rivers join the Slave River at the western end of Lake Athabasca.-Conservation :...
- Athabasca RiverAthabasca RiverThe Athabasca River originates from the Columbia Glacier of the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada...
- Lake AthabascaLake AthabascaLake Athabasca is located in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan and the northeast corner of Alberta between 58° and 60° N.-History:The name in the Dene language originally referred only to the large delta formed by the confluence the Athabasca River at the southwest corner of the lake...
- Riviere Des Roches
- Chilloneys Creek
- Revillon Coupe
- Dempsey Creek
- Peace RiverPeace River (Canada)The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...
- Scow Channel
- Murdock Creek
- Darough Creek
- Athabasca River
- Powder Creek
- La Butte Creek
- Hornaday River
- Salt River
- Little Buffalo River