Hay River (Canada)

Hay River
Origin	Northern Alberta 58°05′06″N 119°01′19″W / 58.08496°N 119.02201°W / 58.08496; -119.02201 (Hay River origin)
Mouth	Great Slave Lake at Hay River 60°51′41″N 115°43′58″W / 60.86134°N 115.73290°W / 60.86134; -115.73290 (Hay River mouth)Coordinates: 60°51′41″N 115°43′58″W / 60.86134°N 115.73290°W / 60.86134; -115.73290 (Hay River mouth)
Basin countries	Canada
Length	702 kilometres (436 mi)
Source elevation	720 metres (2,360 ft)
Mouth elevation	156 metres (512 ft)
Avg. discharge	3,630,000 dam³
Basin area	48,200 square kilometres (18,600 sq mi)

Hay River

The Hay River (in South Slavey: Kátå’odehche) is a large river in northern Alberta and southern Northwest Territories, Canada.

It originates in the muskeg of north western Alberta, flows west to British Columbia, then curves northward and returns to Alberta, where it follows a north-northeast course towards the Northwest Territories. After passing over two main waterfalls, the Alexandra Falls and Louise Falls, it flows through the town of Hay River and discharges into the Great Slave Lake. From there, its waters are carried to the Arctic Ocean by the Mackenzie River.

Hay River has a total length of 702 km and a drainage area of 48,200 km².^[1]

Tributaries of the Hay River are the Chinchaga River, Meander River (in South Slavey: Tahchee), Steen River, Melvin River and Little Hay River. The Hay River effectively flows through the Hay-Zama Lakes. Rainbow Lake is a widening of the river itself.^[2]

Communities in the Hay River basin include Rainbow Lake, Zama City, Steen River, Indian Cabins (in South Slavey: Dzêtú) in Alberta and Enterprise and the homonymous Hay River in the Northwest Territories. There are two first nations communities in the river basin: Chateh and Meander River.

At the Alberta/Northwest Territories border, the annual discharge is 3,630,000 dam³.^[3] The only official campground along the river is at the 60th Parallel Campground.

Tributaries

See also

• List of rivers of Alberta
• List of rivers of the Northwest Territories
• List of longest rivers of Canada

References

External links

•  "Hay River". Encyclopedia Americana. 1920. 

Hydrography of Alberta Rivers Athabasca Battle Beaver Bow Brazeau Crowsnest Elbow Hay Little Bow Milk North Saskatchewan Oldman Peace Pembina Red Deer Slave Smoky South Saskatchewan Waterfalls Athabasca Bow Bridal Veil Crescent Crypt Elbow Panther Sunwapta Lakes Athabasca Beaverhill Bistcho Claire Cold La Biche Lesser Slave Pigeon Ste. Anne Sylvan Utikuma Wabamun Reservoirs Abraham Barrier Brazeau Chestermere Kananaskis McGregor Minnewanka Glenmore Milk River Ridge Sikome Gleniffer Glaciers Athabasca Bow Columbia Icefield Crowfoot Hector Peyto Saskatchewan Vulture Wapta Waputik Icefield Other Hay-Zama Wetlands Peace–Athabasca Delta Whooping Crane Summer Range (wetlands)