Smoky River

River in Alberta, Canada

53°10′16″N 119°07′01″W / 53.17111°N 119.11694°W / 53.17111; -119.11694 • elevation1,680 m (5,510 ft) Mouth

• location

Peace River

• coordinates

56°11′09″N 117°20′03″W / 56.18583°N 117.33417°W / 56.18583; -117.33417

• elevation

315 m (1,033 ft)Discharge • average375 m³/s (13,200 cu ft/s)^[1]

The Smoky River is a river in western Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Peace River. The name refers to the presence of "smouldering beds of coal in the riverbank" noted by the Cree people, an Indigenous people of the area.^[2]

It drains an area of 50,300 km² (19,400 sq mi).^[3] From its headwaters to the Peace River, the Smoky River has a total length of 492 kilometres (306 mi).^[4] The average discharge is 347 m³/s (12,300 cu ft/s).^[5]

Course

The Smoky River originates in the Canadian Rockies, in the northern area of Jasper National Park from Adolphus Lake (53.171N 119.117W). It then flows northeast through the Willmore Wilderness Park until it passes near the hamlet of Grande Cache. It continues north, passes Watino and merges into the Peace River south of the Town of Peace River, Alberta.

Tributaries

Adolphus Lake
Calumet Creek
Carcajou Creek
Swoda Creek
Chown Creek
Twintree Lake
Short Creek
Rockville Creek
- Azure Lake
Desolation Creek
No Luck Creek
Jackpine River
Muddywater River
Wolverine Creek
Calypso Creek
Corral Creek
Gentain Creek
Goldrenrod Creek
Lawrence Creek
Henrietta Creek
Delome Creek
Davey Creek
Eaton Creek
Sulphur River
Two Cabin Creek
Roddy Creek
Muskeg River
Sheep Creek
Norris Creek
Bolton Creek
Kakwa River
Cutbank River
Micmillar Creek
Lignite Creek
Ellenwood Lake
Wapiti River
Simonette River
Kleskun Creek
Puskwaskau River
Bad Heart River
Little Smoky River
Peavine Creek
Hunting Creek
- Lalby Creek

References

^ "The Atlas of Canada - Rivers". atlas.nrcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
^ Aubrey, Merrily (1996). "Our Roots / Nos Racines". Place Names of Alberta. Vol. IV. Northern Alberta. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press. p. 196. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2023.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ "Smoky Discharge Station". Arctic RIMS. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
^ "Principal rivers and their tributaries". Statistics Canada. Natural Resources Canada, GeoAccess Division. 2 February 2005. Archived from the original on 9 September 2006.
^ "Smoky River at Watino". R-ARCTICNET. 1915–2000. Retrieved 30 October 2017.