Nechako River: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Nechako River.jpg|thumb|200px|The Nechako River and Highway 16 bridge, near Fort Fraser]] |
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The '''Nechako River''' arises on the [[Nechako plateau]] east of the [[Coast Range]] of [[British Columbia]] and flows north toward [[Fort Fraser]], then east to [[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]] where it enters the [[Fraser River]]. |
The '''Nechako River''' arises on the [[Nechako plateau]] east of the [[Coast Range]] of [[British Columbia]] and flows north toward [[Fort Fraser]], then east to [[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]] where it enters the [[Fraser River]]. |
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Its main tributareies are the [[Stuart River]], which enters about 45km east of [[Vanderhoof]], the [[Chilako]], which enters about 15km west of Prince George, |
Its main tributareies are the [[Stuart River]], which enters about 45km east of [[Vanderhoof]], the [[Chilako]], which enters about 15km west of Prince George, |
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Revision as of 20:30, 5 October 2006
The Nechako River arises on the Nechako plateau east of the Coast Range of British Columbia and flows north toward Fort Fraser, then east to Prince George where it enters the Fraser River. Its main tributareies are the Stuart River, which enters about 45km east of Vanderhoof, the Chilako, which enters about 15km west of Prince George, and the Nautley River.
The Nechako is one of the main tributaries of the Fraser River, although most of its flow has been diverted through the Coast Mountains to the Kemano generating station at sea level on the Gardner Canal, 858m below the reservoir's intakes, which supplies power to the aluminum smelter at nearby Kitimat. The main reservoir of the Nechako power diversion is named Ootsa Lake Reservoir, but there are many subnames for different parts of the lake.
The damming of the Nechako in 1952 and the consequent massive reduction in flow has been the source of considerable political controversy. The Cheslatta Carrier people were flooded out by the creation of the reservoir and forced to abandon their homes with only two weeks' warning. The increase in water temperature caused by the reduction in flow has been an ongoing problem for the salmon run.
The expedition of Alexander MacKenzie went past the mouth of the Nechako in 1793, curiously, without observing it. The first European to ascend the Nechako was James McDougall, a member of Simon Fraser's expedition, in 1806.
"Nechako" is an anglicization of [netʃa koh], its name in the indigenous Carrier language which means "big river".
External links
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