Skeena River
Skeena River Watershed
Origin	Spatsizi Plateau ( 57°09′06″N, 128°41′29″W)
Mouth	Hecate Strait (Pacific Ocean) ( 54°07′57″N, 130°05′57″W)
Basin countries	Canada
Length	570 km
Source elevation	1500 m
Mouth elevation	Sea level
Avg. discharge	2,157 m³/s
Basin area	54,400 km²

The Skeena River is the second longest river in British Columbia, Canada. The Skeena is an important transportation artery, particularly for the Tsimshian and the Gitksan, and sustains a wide variety of fish, wildlife and vegetation. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 595 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1315 × 1324 pixel, file size: 1. ... [[ == Headline text == This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Islands and major straits of the northern Pacific Northwest Coast The Hecate Strait or Strait of Hecate (Haida: Seegaay) is a wide but relatively shallow body of water separating the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) from the mainland of British Columbia in Canada. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... [[ == Headline text == This article does not cite its references or sources. ... In hydrology, the discharge of a river is the volume of water transported by it in a certain amount of time. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... The Tsimshian, usually pronounced in English as // (SIM-shee-an), translated as People Inside the Skeena River, are Indigenous, or Native American and First Nation people who live around Terrace and Prince Rupert, on the north coast of British Columbia and the southernmost corner of Alaska on Annette Island. ... (pronounced GIT-san) also spelled as Gitxsan pronounced the same. ...

Geography

The Skeena is one of the longest un-dammed rivers in the world.^[1] It originates south of the Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park in north western British Columbia. It flows for 570 kilometres^[2] before it empties into Chatham Sound and Ogden Channel , East of Hecate Strait of the Pacific Ocean. The Skeena drains 54,400 square km of land with a normal annual runoff of 2,157 m3/s or 1190 mm.^[3]. Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. ... Islands and major straits of the northern Pacific Northwest Coast The Hecate Strait or Strait of Hecate (Haida: Seegaay) is a wide but relatively shallow body of water separating the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) from the mainland of British Columbia in Canada. ...

Course

Skeena River at Telegraph Point, east of the city of Prince Rupert, British Columbia

The Skeena River originates at the southern end of Spatsizi Plateau, in a valley between Mount Gunanoot and Mount Thule, south of the Stikine River watershed. An abandoned track of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway runs along the river in its upper course. It flows south-east, between the shallow peaks of the Skeena Mountains, through the McEvoy and Jackson Flats. It continues in this direction until it passes the Slamgeesh Range, then flows westwards to Fourth Cabin, when it turns south through a shallow canyon below Poison Mountain. After Kuldo it takes an eastward turn, then flows again south below Cutoff Mountain and Mount Pope. It continues through rolling hills to the community of Kispiox and then Hazelton, where it receives the waters of Morice-Bulkley River, and turns south-west. The Yellowhead Highway and a Canadian National Railway track follow the course of the Skeena on this section. At Kitseguecla, the river is crossed by Highway 37, and then turns south around the Seven Sisters Peaks and Bulkley Ranges, through the Skeena Provincial Forest, then between the Nass Ranges and Borden Glacier, past the ferry crossing at Usk, through the Kitselas Canyon, and then through the Kleanza Creek Provincial Park. It then flows south-west through the city of Terrace, where the river widens. It continues westwards, followed by the Highway 16 and Canadian National Railway line, passes near the Exchamsiks River Provincial Park, then flows into the Hecate Strait at Eleanor Passage, between Port Edward and Port Essington, facing De Horsey Island. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 336 pixelsFull resolution (969 × 407 pixel, file size: 53 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Skeena River at Telegraph Point, approximately 60 kilometers east of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 336 pixelsFull resolution (969 × 407 pixel, file size: 53 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Skeena River at Telegraph Point, approximately 60 kilometers east of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. ... for the city in British Columbia, see Prince Rupert, British Columbia Prince Rupert of the Rhine (1619-1682), soldier and inventor, was a younger son of Frederick V, Elector Palatine and Elizabeth Stuart, and the nephew of King Charles I of England. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... Location map of the Stikine River The Stikine River (sti-KEEN) is a river, approximately 335 mi (539 km) long, in northwestern British Columbia in Canada and southeastern Alaska in the United States. ... Grand Trunk Pacific Railway logo or herald The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) was a historical Canadian railway. ... Location map of the Skeena Mountains The Skeena Mountains, also known as the Skeenas, are a mountain range in the north-central Interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia, essentially flanking the upper basin of the Skeena River. ... Kispiox, BC Kispiox is a Gitxsan village of approximately 550 in the Kispiox Valley at the confluence of the Kispiox and Skeena Rivers in British Columbia. ... The Bulkley River (left) flowing into the Skeena River (right) near Ksan Ksan Historical Village // Hazelton is a small town located at the junction of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers in northern British Columbia, Canada. ... The Bulkley River in British Columbia is a major tributary of the Skeena River. ... The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. ... The Canadian National Railway (CN; AAR reporting marks CN, CNA, CNIS) is a Canadian Class I railway operated by the Canadian National Railway Company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. ... Gitseguecla, BC from Highway 16 Kitseguecla (also Gitsegukla, Gitseguecla, Kitsegukla and Skeena Crossing) is a Gitxsan community of about 500 at the confluence of the Kitseguecla and Skeena Rivers, approximately 40km southwest of Hazelton, British Columbia. ... British Columbia provincial highway 37, the Cassiar Highway, is the northwesternmost highway in the province, and it is very scenic, passing through some of the most isolated areas of B.C. The highway first gained its 37 designation in 1975, and at that time, its southern terminus was at the... Usk is a hamlet in British Columbia, Canada on the north bank of the Skeena River. ... Kleanza Creek Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. ... Mayor Jack Talstra Councillors Lynne Christiansen Marylin Davies Brian Downie Carol Leclerc Rich McDaniel Brad Pollard Land area 42. ... Highway 16 is the British Columbia, Canada, section of the Yellowhead Highway. ... The Canadian National Railway (CN; AAR reporting marks CN, CNA, CNIS) is a Canadian Class I railway operated by the Canadian National Railway Company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. ... Exchamsiks River Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. ... Islands and major straits of the northern Pacific Northwest Coast The Hecate Strait or Strait of Hecate (Haida: Seegaay) is a wide but relatively shallow body of water separating the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) from the mainland of British Columbia in Canada. ... Port Edward, BC from Porpoise Harbour The District of Port Edward is a town of approximately 775, located on the north coast of British Columbia. ... Port Essington was a cannery town on the south bank of the Skeena River estuary in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, between Prince Rupert and Terrace, and at the confluence of the Skeena and Ecstall Rivers. ...

Tributaries

The Morice-Bulkley River (left) flowing into the Skeena River (right) near Hazelton, British Columbia

Partial listing from Fisheries and Oceans Canada^[4]
Upper Skeena Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1544x1024, 776 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Hazelton, British Columbia Skeena River Bulkley River Talk:Skeena River Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1544x1024, 776 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Hazelton, British Columbia Skeena River Bulkley River Talk:Skeena River Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added... The Bulkley River (left) flowing into the Skeena River (right) near Ksan Ksan Historical Village // Hazelton is a small town located at the junction of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers in northern British Columbia, Canada. ... The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), also referred to as Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Pêches et Océans Canada), is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for the management and safety of waters under federal jurisdiction. ...

• Bear River, Johanson Creek, Shilahou Creek, Slamgeesh River, Sustut River

Middle Skeena

• Babine River, Boucher Creek, Buck Creek, Bulkley River, Comeau Creek, Cullon Creek, Date Creek, Deep Canoe Creek, Fulton River, Harold Price Creek, Kispiox River, Kitseguecla River, Maxan Creek, McCully Creek, McQueen Creek, Morice River, Nangeese River, Nanika River, Nilkitkwa River, Pinkut Creek, Richfield Creek, Shegunia River, Simpson Creek, Stephens Creek, Suskwa River, Sweetin River, Toboggan Creek

Lower Skeena Babine River is a river in central British Columbia, Canada. ... The Bulkley River in British Columbia is a major tributary of the Skeena River. ...

• Alwyn Creek, Big Falls Creek, Cedar Creek, Coldwater Creek, Copper River, Deep Creek, Dog Tag Creek, Ecstall River, Erlandsen Creek, Exchamsiks River, Exstew River, Fiddler Creek, Gitnadoix River, Goat Creek, Johnston Creek, Johnston Lake, Kaeen Creek, Kasiks River, Khyex River, Kitsumkalum River, Kitwanga River, Kleanza Creek, Lakelse River, Lean-To Creek, Limonite Creek, Magar Creek, Moonlit Creek, Salmon Run Creek, Sockeye Creek, Spring Creek, Star Creek, Thomas Creek, Trapline Creek, White Creek, Williams Creek, Zymagotitz River, Zymoetz River

Wildlife

The Skeena supports a wide variety of fish and wildlife. The British Columbia Ministry of the Environment, through BC Parks, has designated a number of Ecological Reserves along the course of the river.^[5]

Fish

The Skeena is well-known for its sport fishing, most notably salmon and steelhead.^[6][7][8] The Skeena is also very important to the commercial fishing industry. For example, numbering 5 million spawning salmon a year, the Skeena is second only to the Fraser River in all of Canada in its capacity to produce sockeye salmon.^[9] It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Angling. ... Illustration of a male Coho Salmon The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow to 1. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Rainbow trout. ... Fishing industry is the commercial activity of fishing and producing fish and other seafood products. ... Fraser River watershed The Fraser River is the longest river in British Columbia, Canada, rising near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for 1400 km (870 mi), into the Pacific Ocean at the city of Vancouver. ... Binomial name Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum, 1792) Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), also called red salmon or blueback salmon, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Pacific Ocean. ...

The following types of pacific salmon* can be found in the Skeena: This article is about the fish. ...

• Chinook salmon, sometimes known as King, Tyee, Spring, Quinnat, Tule, or Blackmouth salmon.
• Chum salmon, sometimes known as Dog or Calico salmon.
• Coho salmon, sometimes known as Silver salmon.
• Pink salmon, sometimes known as Humpback salmon.
• Sockeye salmon, sometimes known as Red salmon or Blueback salmon.

*Note that there is an ongoing debate about whether Steelhead, also known as Rainbow trout, Ocean trout, or Redband trout, is also a species of salmon. Steelhead are also found in the Skeena. Binomial name Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum, 1792) The Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (derived from Russian чавыча), is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. ... Binomial name Oncorhynchus keta (Walbaum, 1792) Keta redirects here. ... Binomial name Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum, 1792) The Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch, from the Russian кижуч kisutch) is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. ... Binomial name Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Walbaum, 1792) The pink salmon or humpback salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) (from the Russian gorbuscha--горбуша) is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. ... Binomial name Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum, 1792) Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), also called red salmon or blueback salmon, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Pacific Ocean. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Rainbow trout. ... It has been suggested that Steelhead be merged into this article or section. ...

Bears

The rare Kermode bear lives in and near the Skeena Valley from Prince Rupert to Hazelton. The region is also home to many black bears and brown bears. Grizzly bears are less common in the area but the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary is located nearby. Trinomial name Ursus americanus kermodei The Kermode bear is a genetically-unique subspecies of bear found in the central coast of British Columbia. ... The Bulkley River (left) flowing into the Skeena River (right) near Ksan Ksan Historical Village // Hazelton is a small town located at the junction of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers in northern British Columbia, Canada. ... Binomial name Ursus americanus The American Black Bear (Ursus americanus), also known as simply the black bear or cinnamon bear, is the most common bear in Canada and Alaska south into Mexico and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is a species of bear that can reach weights of 130-700 kg (300 to 1500 pounds). ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is a species of bear that can reach weights of 130-700 kg (300 to 1500 pounds). ... Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. ...

History

First Nations girl fishing on the Skeena River near Kitwanga, 1915

ss Inlander on the Skeena River at Kitselas Canyon, 1911

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... First Nations is the current title used by Canada to describe the various societies of the indigenous peoples, called Native Americans in the U.S. They have also been known as Indians, Native Canadians, Aboriginal Americans, Amer-Indians, or Aboriginals, and are officially called Indians in the Indian Act, which... Kitwanga - or Gitwangak (place of rabbits) - is located where the Kitwancool River runs into the Skeena River in British Columbia. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Image File history File links Sternwheeler_Inlander. ... Image File history File links Sternwheeler_Inlander. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Fur trading

The Hudson's Bay Company's local headquarters were at Port Simpson, although Port Essington was also used extensively as a port for its sternwheelers.^[10] The Hudsons Bay Company (HBC; Compagnie de la Baie dHudson in French) is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and is one of the oldest in the world. ... Lax Kwalaams, usually called Port Simpson, is an Indigenous village community in British Columbia, Canada, not far from the city of Prince Rupert. ... Port Essington was a cannery town on the south bank of the Skeena River estuary in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, between Prince Rupert and Terrace, and at the confluence of the Skeena and Ecstall Rivers. ...

Riverboats

While canoes played a crucial role on the Skeena for centuries, the age of the steamboat heralded a new era of boating on the Skeena. The first steam-powered vessel to enter the Skeena was the Union in 1864. In 1866 the Mumford attempted to ascend the river but was only able to reach the Kitsumkalum River. It was not until 1891 that the Hudson's Bay Company sternwheeler the Caledonia successfully negotiated through the Kitselas Canyon and reached Hazelton. A number of other steamers were built around the turn of the century, in part due to the growing fish industry and the gold rush.^[10] Canoe at El Nido, Philippines A canoe is a relatively small human-powered boat. ... Paddle steamers — Lucerne, Switzerland. ... Salmon for sale at a fish market. ... A California Gold Rush handbill A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers into the area of a dramatic discovery of commercial quantities of gold. ...

See Also

Steamboats of the Skeena River The Skeena River is British Columbia’s fastest flowing waterway, often rising as much as 17 feet in a day and can fluctuate as much as sixty feet between high and low water. ...

Footnotes