Red Deer River
Encyclopedia
The Red Deer River is a river
in Alberta
, Canada
. It is a major tributary
of the South Saskatchewan River
.
Red Deer River has a total length of 724 kilometres (449.9 mi) and a drainage area of 45100 square kilometres (17,413.2 sq mi). Its mean discharge is 70 m³/s.
The river got its name from the translation of Was-ka-soo which means "elk river" in the Cree
.
Communities located along the Red Deer River include Sundre
, Red Deer
, Blackfalds and Drumheller
. The city of Brooks
is also located in the Red Deer River Basin.
, in the Sawback Range
inside Banff National Park
, and then flows east through the mountains and foothills region. It turns north-east before Sundre
and keeps this heading to the city of Red Deer
, where it turns east, and then south before Stettler
. It flows south with its valley protected by provincial and regional parks such as Tolman Badlands Heritage Rangeland, Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
, Dry Island Corridor and Midland Provincial Park
. At Drumheller
it has a south-east direction, and while it flows through Dinosaur Provincial Park
it turns east and flows to the Alberta/Saskatchewan border, which it crosses at Empress
. It flows for 16 km through Saskatchewan
before it merges into the South Saskatchewan River
.
and Foothills
Central Alberta
The waters of Ewing Lake, Little Fish Lake also flow into the Red Deer 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 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 is a major tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the South Saskatchewan River
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
.
Red Deer River has a total length of 724 kilometres (449.9 mi) and a drainage area of 45100 square kilometres (17,413.2 sq mi). Its mean discharge is 70 m³/s.
The river got its name from the translation of Was-ka-soo which means "elk river" in the Cree
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
.
Communities located along the Red Deer River include Sundre
Sundre, Alberta
Sundre is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Mountain View County, northwest from Calgary, along the Cowboy Trail in the Canadian Rockies foothills....
, Red Deer
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
, Blackfalds and Drumheller
Drumheller, Alberta
Drumheller is a town within the Red Deer River valley in the badlands of east-central Alberta, Canada. It is located northeast of Calgary...
. The city of Brooks
Brooks, Alberta
Brooks is a city in southeast Alberta, Canada surrounded by the County of Newell. It is located on Highway 1 and the Canadian Pacific Railway, approximately southeast of Calgary, and northwest of Medicine Hat. The city has an elevation of .- History :The area that is now Brooks was originally...
is also located in the Red Deer River Basin.
Course
The river originates on the eastern slopes of the Canadian RockiesCanadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
, in the Sawback Range
Sawback Range
The Sawback Range is a mountain range of the Canadian Rockies that stretches from the Bow Valley in Alberta into southeastern Banff National Park.-Mountains:This range includes the following mountains and peaks:-References:...
inside Banff National Park
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...
, and then flows east through the mountains and foothills region. It turns north-east before Sundre
Sundre, Alberta
Sundre is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Mountain View County, northwest from Calgary, along the Cowboy Trail in the Canadian Rockies foothills....
and keeps this heading to the city of Red Deer
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
, where it turns east, and then south before Stettler
Stettler, Alberta
Stettler is a town in Alberta, Canada. It is located east of Red Deer at the junction of Highway 12 and Highway 56. The town is located in the eastern region of central Alberta and nicknamed "The Heart of Alberta."- History :...
. It flows south with its valley protected by provincial and regional parks such as Tolman Badlands Heritage Rangeland, Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park is a provincial park in Central Alberta, Canada, located about southeast of Red Deer and east of Trochu. The park is situated along the Red Deer River and features badlands topography...
, Dry Island Corridor and Midland Provincial Park
Midland Provincial Park
Midland Provincial Park is a provincial park located in Alberta, Canada.Once the site of the Midland Coal Mine, it was designated as a provincial park on June 5, 1979. It now hosts the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology...
. At Drumheller
Drumheller, Alberta
Drumheller is a town within the Red Deer River valley in the badlands of east-central Alberta, Canada. It is located northeast of Calgary...
it has a south-east direction, and while it flows through Dinosaur Provincial Park
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Dinosaur Provincial Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located about two and a half hours drive southeast of Calgary, Alberta, Canada or , about a half hour drive, northeast of Brooks....
it turns east and flows to the Alberta/Saskatchewan border, which it crosses at Empress
Empress, Alberta
- See also :*List of communities in Alberta*List of villages in Alberta*Monarchy in Alberta- References :...
. It flows for 16 km through Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
before it merges into the South Saskatchewan River
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
.
Tributaries
Rocky MountainsCanadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
and Foothills
Foothills
Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills to the adjacent topographically high mountains.-Examples:...
- Red Deer Lakes
- Douglas Creek
- Douglas Lake, Donald Lake, Gwendolyn Lake
- Drummond Creek
- Skeleton (Horseshoe) Lake
- McConnell Creek
- Divide Creek
- Pipit Lake
- Snowflake Lake
- Tyrell Creek
- Scalp Creek
- Bighorn Creek
- Eagle Creek
- Wildhorse Creek
- Panther River
- Dormer River
- Wigwam Creek
- Yara Creek
- McCue Creek
- Logan Creek
- Bear Creek
- Burnt Creek
- Bull Creek
- Vam Creek
- Brown Creek
- Williams Creek
- Helmer Creek
- Cartier Creek
- Coalcamp Creek
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...
- Nitchi Creek
- Fallentimber Creek
- Bearberry Creek
- Jackson Creek
- James RiverJames River (Alberta)The James River is a medium-sized river in central Alberta. It is a tributary of the Red Deer River.Species of fish commonly found: Brown trout,Rainbow trout,Mountain whitefish,Northern Pike and a few others. It forms in the Rocky Mountains and flows eastward before joining the Red Deer River. The...
- Schrader Creek
- Eagle Creek
- Raven River
- North Raven River
- Little Red Deer River
- Medicine RiverMedicine River (Alberta)The Medicine River is a medium-sized river in central Alberta. It begins at the outlet of Medicine Lake, north of Rocky Mountain House. The Medicine River initially travels through the Rocky Mountain House Grazing Reserve, a protected area with over of land set aside for cattle grazing and...
- Kenning Lake
- Sylvan Creek
- Piper Creek
- Blindman RiverBlindman RiverThe Blindman River is a medium-sized river in central Alberta. It forms south of Winfield, Alberta and flows southeastward before joining the Red Deer River near Red Deer. The Blindman is bridged by Alberta Highway 20 a number of times in its upper reaches, before passing near the town of Rimbey...
- Threehills Creek
- Kneehills Creek
- Rosebud RiverRosebud RiverRosebud River is a river in Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Red Deer River. The river passes through agricultural lands and ranchland for most of its course, and through badlands in its final reaches...
- Bullpound Creek
- Berry Creek
- Blood Indian Creek
- Ghostpine creek-Pine Lake
- Waskasoo Creek
- Alkali Creek
The waters of Ewing Lake, Little Fish Lake also flow into the Red Deer River.
See also
- List of longest rivers of Canada
- List of rivers of Alberta
- List of rivers of Saskatchewan
- Glacial Lake BassanoGlacial Lake BassanoGlacial Lake Bassano was formed in the Late Pleistocene during the deglaciation of south-central Alberta by the impoundment of the re-established proglacial drainage system and addition of glacial meltwater. It is associated with the development of through-flowing drainage within the Red Deer River...