Paddle River
Encyclopedia
The Paddle River is a short river
in west-central Alberta
, Canada
. The river
is named because of its slow speed. During the fur trade era, a canoe could be easily paddled up the river, in contrast to the more arduous task of ascending a swifter river like the Pembina River
that required poling or tracking.
along its course. It passes near the town of Sangudo
, and brushes the municipality of Barrhead
before joining the Pembina River
. It is bridged by many secondary highways, as well as Alberta Highway 43 and Alberta Highway 33.
ing has been a constant issue. Both farmers and ranchers were attracted to the floodplain
of the river
due to the high quality of its soils. As human settlement increased, the economic costs associated with flooding became much more pronounced. Residents of the area eventually formed the 'Paddle River Drainage Association' to petition
the provincial government for flood control. The Alberta Government eventually constructed a dam
on the river to mitigate some of the worst effects of the flooding.
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 west-central 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...
. The 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...
is named because of its slow speed. During the fur trade era, a canoe could be easily paddled up the river, in contrast to the more arduous task of ascending a swifter river like the Pembina River
Pembina River (Alberta)
Pembina is a river in central Alberta, Canada. It is a tributary of the Athabasca River.Pembina is a Canadian French name for the high bush cranberry . The river gives the name to the Pembina oil field,an oil and gas producing region centered around Drayton Valley...
that required poling or tracking.
Course
The river generally flows in an eastward direction from its headwaters, although there are significant meanders and a large number of oxbow lakesOxbow Lakes
"Oxbow Lakes" is a single by ambient house artist The Orb. It featured remixes from artists such as Carl Craig, Sabres of Paradise and A Guy Called Gerald. It also includes an acoustic version performed by the string sextet Instrumental which was produced by Darren Allison. It reached number...
along its course. It passes near the town of Sangudo
Sangudo, Alberta
Sangudo is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within Lac Ste. Anne County. It is located on Highway 43 and the Pembina River, approximately northwest of Edmonton....
, and brushes the municipality of Barrhead
Barrhead, Alberta
Barrhead is a town in central Alberta, Canada, within the County of Barrhead No. 11. It is located along the Paddle River and at the intersection of Highway 33 and Highway 18, approximately northwest of the City of Edmonton...
before joining the Pembina River
Pembina River (Alberta)
Pembina is a river in central Alberta, Canada. It is a tributary of the Athabasca River.Pembina is a Canadian French name for the high bush cranberry . The river gives the name to the Pembina oil field,an oil and gas producing region centered around Drayton Valley...
. It is bridged by many secondary highways, as well as Alberta Highway 43 and Alberta Highway 33.
Flooding
Throughout the history of European settlement along the Paddle River, floodFlood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing has been a constant issue. Both farmers and ranchers were attracted to the floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
of the 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...
due to the high quality of its soils. As human settlement increased, the economic costs associated with flooding became much more pronounced. Residents of the area eventually formed the 'Paddle River Drainage Association' to petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
the provincial government for flood control. The Alberta Government eventually constructed a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the river to mitigate some of the worst effects of the flooding.
Tributaries
- Little Paddle River
- Romeo Creek
- Connor Creek
- Maxwell Lake
- Kipp Lake
- Neville Lake