Saskatchewan River
Catchment area of the Saskatchewan River
The Saskatchewan River ( alternative name: Rivière Saskatchewan ) is a 547 km long stream in Canada, the gross flows in an easterly direction through the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and eventually empties into the Lake Winnipeg in southern Manitoba.
Course
The Saskatchewan River arises in the heart of the province, about 40 km east of the city of Prince Albert by the union of the two rivers the North Saskatchewan River and the South Saskatchewan River, which in turn are fed by the glaciers of the Rocky Mountains in the province of Alberta. The north and the south arm have turn several major tributaries (including the Bow River ), so that for the river system of the Saskatchewan has a total length of about 1939 km results when one of them remote, the distance from the mouth to the farthest source considered. Accordingly, it drains a huge catchment area, which includes much of the central Canadian Prairie Provinces and extends into the U.S. state of Montana into it. To the east of Saskatchewan to its mouth of the Saskatchewan River forms the so-called Saskatchewan River Delta, an alluvial river delta, in which it forms a variety of channels and oxbow lakes, and which is characterized by wetlands and numerous lakes. Here flow the tributaries of Torch River, Mossy River, Grass Berry River, Sturgeon -weir River, Carrot River and Pasquia River in the Saskatchewan River.
Hydropower plants
The Nipawin hydropower plant dams the Saskatchewan River on the Codette Lake. It was completed in 1985-86 and has three 85- MW turbines. It is operated by SaskPower.
Built in 1963-1966 hydropower plant E.B. Campbell dammed the river to Tobin Lake. It is also operated by SaskPower and has 8 turbines with a total capacity of 288 MW.
The hydropower plant Grand Rapids is located at the mouth of the Saskatchewan River in Winnipeg. It was built from 1960 to 1968. Four turbines use of a maximum drop height of 36.6 m and together provide 479 MW. The power plant is operated by Manitoba Hydro. Between 1995-2000 it was renewed. Also the water level of Cedar Lake was raised by 3.5 m damming of the river.