Iskut River
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The Iskut River, located in the northwest part of the
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
is the largest
tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...
of the
Stikine River The Stikine River is a major river in northern British Columbia (BC), Canada and southeastern Alaska in the United States. It drains a large, remote upland area known as the Stikine Country east of the Coast Mountains. Flowing west and south f ...
, entering it about above its entry into
Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
. From its source at Kluachon Lake the Iskut River flows south and west for about Length measured using BCGNIS coordinates, topographic maps, an
Toporama
/ref> to the Stikine River near the border of British Columbia and Alaska. The upper Iskut flows south through a series of lakes: Kluachon Lake, Eddontenajon Lake,
Tatogga Lake Tatogga is an unincorporated community in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is located situated along the Stewart-Cassiar Highway (Highway 37) on Tatogga Lake just south of Iskut Iskut is a small, mostly Indigenous community in the ...
,
Kinaskan Lake Kinaskan Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located at the south end of Kinaskan Lake along the Stewart-Cassiar Highway near Mowdade Lake and southeast of Mount Edziza. At the south end of the park, the Iskut ...
, Natadesleen Lake, and others. The middle Iskut encompasses the area between the Little Iskut River and Forrest Kerr Creek. Below the Ningunsaw River the Iskut flows southwest through a canyon and is regulated by the
Forrest Kerr Hydroelectric Project Forrest may refer to: Places Australia *Forrest, Australian Capital Territory *Forrest, Victoria, a small rural township * Division of Forrest, a federal division of the Australian House of Representatives, in Western Australia *Electoral distri ...
, a
run-of-river Run-of-river hydroelectricity (ROR) or run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation plant whereby little or no water storage is provided. Run-of-the-river power plants may have no water storage at all or a limited amou ...
hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
project. The lower Iskut flows west through an increasingly
braided Braided is a musical group consisting of Casey LeBlanc, Ashley Leitão, and Amber Fleury, who all competed on the third season of '' Canadian Idol'' in 2005. They are the third music group to come from an Idol show in the world, after Young Div ...
channel. The upper Iskut is in the
Klastline Plateau The Klastline Plateau is a plateau in the Stikine Region of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. A subplateau of the Stikine Plateau, it is located between the Stikine River (N), the upper Iskut River (S), Mess Creek (W) and the ...
, a subregion of the
Stikine Plateau The Stikine Plateau is a plateau in northern British Columbia, Canada. It lies between the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains on the west and southwest and the Cassiar Mountains along its northeast, and between the Skeena Mountains on its sout ...
. The middle Iskut forms the boundary between the Stikine Plateau and the
Skeena Mountains The Skeena Mountains, also known as the Skeenas, are a subrange of the Interior Mountains of northern British Columbia, Canada, essentially flanking the upper basin of the Skeena River. They lie just inland from the southern end of the Boundary ...
. The lower Iskut flows through the
Boundary Ranges The Boundary Ranges, also known in the singular and as the Alaska Boundary Range, are the largest and most northerly subrange of the Coast Mountains. They begin at the Nass River, near the southern end of the Alaska Panhandle in the Canadian p ...
of the
Coast Mountains The Coast Mountains (french: La chaîne Côtière) are a major mountain range in the Pacific Coast Ranges of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia ...
. The Iskut River's watershed covers , and its mean annual discharge is . The river's watershed's
land cover Land cover is the physical material at the surface of Earth. Land covers include grass, asphalt, trees, bare ground, water, etc. Earth cover is the expression used by ecologist Frederick Edward Clements that has its closest modern equivalent being ...
is classified as 34.6%
conifer forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
, 20.1% barren, 18.2%
snow Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
/
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
, 13.4%
shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...
, 10.0%
herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...
, and small amounts of other cover. The mouth of the Iskut River is located about northeast of
Wrangell, Alaska The City and Borough of Wrangell ( tli, Ḵaachx̱ana.áakʼw, russian: Врангель) is a borough in Alaska, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 2,127, down from 2,369 in 2010. Incorporated as a Unified Home Rule Bor ...
, about northwest of Stewart, British Columbia, and about south of
Telegraph Creek, British Columbia Telegraph Creek is a small community located off British Columbia Highway 37, Highway 37 in northern British Columbia at the confluence of the Stikine River and Telegraph Creek. The only permanent settlement on the Stikine River, it is home to appr ...
. The Iskut watershed is highly glaciated and is characterized by landscapes shaped by geologically recent
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
s and the
Laurentide Ice Sheet The Laurentide Ice Sheet was a massive sheet of ice that covered millions of square miles, including most of Canada and a large portion of the Northern United States, multiple times during the Quaternary glacial epochs, from 2.58 million years a ...
as well as
volcanism Volcanism, vulcanism or volcanicity is the phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the surface of the Earth or a solid-surface planet or moon, where lava, pyroclastics, and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surface called ...
. The Iskut River watershed is in the asserted traditional territory of the
Tahltan First Nation The Tahltan First Nation, also known as the Tahltan Indian Band, is a band government of the Tahltan people. Their main community and reserves are located at Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. Their language is the Tahltan language, which is an ...
and
Iskut First Nation The Iskut First Nation is a band government of the Tahltan people. Their main reserve is Iskut IR No.6, located at Iskut, British Columbia; Iskut is in the same vicinity, while the band's third reserve, Stikine River IR No. 7 is located one mile w ...
, of the
Tahltan The Tahltan or Nahani are a First Nations people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group who live in northern British Columbia around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, and Iskut. The Tahltan constitute the fourth division of the ''Nahane' ...
people. The lower Iskut River is also in the traditional territory of the
Tlingit The Tlingit ( or ; also spelled Tlinkit) are indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their language is the Tlingit language (natively , pronounced ),
, specifically the Shtax'héen Ḵwáan, commonly known as the Stikine River people. The name of the Iskut River possibly comes from a
Nisga'a The Nisga’a , often formerly spelled Nishga and spelled in the Nisga'a language as (pronounced ), are an Indigenous people of Canada in British Columbia. They reside in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia. The name is a r ...
word meaning "stinking", otherwise of unknown origin.


Course

The upper Iskut River, defined as the portion between its source and Cascade Falls, is nearly surrounded by the Stikine River and its tributaries, including the Stikine River to the north, the
Klappan River The Klappan River is a major tributary of the Stikine River in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It flows north from an area known as the Sacred Headwaters, which is the source not only of this river but also of the Nass, Skeena, Spatsizi a ...
to the east, and the Klastline River to the west. Much of this region around the upper Iskut watershed is encompassed within protected areas such as
Mount Edziza Provincial Park Mount Edziza Provincial Park is a provincial park in Cassiar Land District of northern British Columbia, Canada. It was established on 27 July 1972 to protect the Mount Edziza volcanic complex and the surrounding Tahltan Highland. Geography The p ...
,
Stikine River Provincial Park The Stikine River Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia. The park covers a total area of approximately 217,000 hectares. The main feature of the Stikine River Provincial Park is a portion of the Stikine River known as "The Grand ...
,
Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, protecting most of the Spatsizi Plateau, the southeasternmost subplateau of the Stikine Plateau, and the upper reaches of the basin of the Stikine River. ...
, and others, in a large contiguous set of protected areas known collectively as the Stikine Country Protected Areas.
British Columbia Highway 37 British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
, also called the Stewart–Cassiar Highway, runs along the east side of the upper and part of the middle Iskut River. The Iskut River originates at Kluachon Lake, near the source of the Klastline River, and about west-northwest of
Mount Edziza Mount Edziza is a stratovolcano in the Stikine Country of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The volcano and the surrounding area are protected within Mount Edziza Provincial Park. It consists of multiple peaks and ridges, with several gla ...
. A number of small streams feed Kluachon Lake, such as Kluachon Creek. From Kluachon Lake the Iskut River flows south about to Eddontenajon Lake, joined along the way by Zetu Creek, flowing southwest from Zechtoo Mountain. The settlement of
Iskut Iskut is a small, mostly Indigenous community in the Stikine Country of northwestern British Columbia. It is located on Highway 37, at the north end of Eddontenajon Lake just south of Dease Lake and the crossing of the Stikine River. Communi ...
, home of the
Tahltan The Tahltan or Nahani are a First Nations people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group who live in northern British Columbia around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, and Iskut. The Tahltan constitute the fourth division of the ''Nahane' ...
Iskut First Nation The Iskut First Nation is a band government of the Tahltan people. Their main reserve is Iskut IR No.6, located at Iskut, British Columbia; Iskut is in the same vicinity, while the band's third reserve, Stikine River IR No. 7 is located one mile w ...
, is located on Zetu Creek, southeast of Kluachon Lake. The Iskut First Nation's main
Indian reserve In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the '' Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." Ind ...
is "Iskut 6", located at the community of Iskut. The Iskut First Nation administers two other reserves, "Kluachon 1", located at the southern end of Kluachon Lake, and "Stikine River 7", near
Telegraph Creek Telegraph Creek is a small community located off Highway 37 in northern British Columbia at the confluence of the Stikine River and Telegraph Creek. The only permanent settlement on the Stikine River, it is home to approximately 250 members of Tah ...
. From Kluachon Lake the Iskut River flows south into Eddontenajon Lake, where it receives several tributaries such as Coyote Creek, which flows west from Ealue Lake. Eddontenajon Lake has an average depth of and a maximum depth of . The community of
Eddontenajon Eddontenajon is an unincorporated settlement in the Stikine Country of the northwestern British Columbia Interior in Canada. It is located along the Stewart-Cassiar Highway on the northeast side of Eddontenajon Lake and comprises a small commerci ...
is located near the north end of Eddontenajon Lake, near Iskut. Just south of Eddontenajon Lake the Iskut River enters
Tatogga Lake Tatogga is an unincorporated community in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is located situated along the Stewart-Cassiar Highway (Highway 37) on Tatogga Lake just south of Iskut Iskut is a small, mostly Indigenous community in the ...
, into which several streams empty, including Jackson Creek, Kimball Creek, and Todagin Creek. Todagin Creek flows through Todagin South Slope Provincial Park, as well as the
Todagin Wildlife Management Area Todagin Wildlife Management Area is a wildlife management area located southeast of Iskut in northwestern British Columbia. It was established by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development ...
. South of Tatogga Lake the Iskut River enters Kinaskan Lake. Kinaskan Lake has an average depth of and a maximum depth of . The Iskut exits the south end of the lake and flows into
Kinaskan Lake Provincial Park Kinaskan Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located at the south end of Kinaskan Lake along the Stewart-Cassiar Highway near Mowdade Lake and southeast of Mount Edziza. At the south end of the park, the Iskut ...
, then enters Natadesleen Lake. After exiting Natadesleen Lake the Iskut River continues south. At the southern end of Kinaskan Lake Provincial Park the Iskut River tumbles down Cascade Falls, a staircase of
Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The J ...
eroded
sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...
s, located about below Natadesleen Lake. Cascade Falls is an impassable upstream barrier to fish migration, blocking
anadromous Fish migration is mass relocation by fish from one area or body of water to another. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousan ...
fish from reaching the upper Iskut watershed. Cascade Falls also marks the transition between the upper and middle Iskut River drainage basins. Just downstream of Cascade Falls the Little Iskut River joins the Iskut River. Originating in
Mount Edziza Provincial Park Mount Edziza Provincial Park is a provincial park in Cassiar Land District of northern British Columbia, Canada. It was established on 27 July 1972 to protect the Mount Edziza volcanic complex and the surrounding Tahltan Highland. Geography The p ...
, the Little Iskut River is a major tributary with a watershed area of , about 5% glacier-covered. Much of the lower Little Iskut River is braided. Continuing south the Iskut is joined by Three Mile Creek, then Eastman Creek. Burrage Creek, a significant tributary, joins the Iskut from the southeast, after which the Iskut begins to flow through a constraining canyon in which it is joined by Ball Creek and Durham Creek. The Iskut flows by
Iskut River Hot Springs Provincial Park Iskut River Hot Springs Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on the western side of the Iskut River. The extremely hot waters flowing out of the ground at Iskut River Hot Springs Provincial Park are heated by ...
. Extremely hot water, heated by
magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
of the
Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province The Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province (NCVP), formerly known as the Stikine Volcanic Belt, is a geologic province defined by the occurrence of Miocene to Holocene volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest of North America. This belt of volcanoes ex ...
, weeps out of a rocky embankment and into the Iskut River. Most of the springs are only a few metres from the river during low flows and are submerged during high flows. South of the hot springs the Iskut River is joined by More Creek, which originates in Mount Edziza Provincial Park, then Thomas Creek and Devil Creek. Continuing south the Iskut flows along the west side of the Bob Quinn Plateau and the community of Bob Quinn Lake, on the shore of Bob Quinn Lake. Highway 37 passes through the community of Bob Quinn Lake, which is about halfway between
Meziadin Junction Meziadin Junction () is a work camp in northwest British Columbia, Canada, near the border with Alaska, United States. It is about north of the Nass River crossing and north of Kitwanga on Highway 37. The highway splits in its journey north ...
and
Dease Lake Dease Lake is a small community located in the Cassiar Country of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It is located a few hours south of the Yukon border on Stewart–Cassiar Highway (Highway 37) at the south end of the lake o ...
along the highway. From Bob Quinn Lake Highway 37 leaves the Iskut River and follows the Ningunsaw River and its tributary Beaverpond Creek, then crosses a pass into the
Nass River The Nass River is a river in northern British Columbia, Canada. It flows from the Coast Mountains southwest to Nass Bay, a sidewater of Portland Inlet, which connects to the North Pacific Ocean via the Dixon Entrance. Nass Bay joins Portland In ...
watershed, where it follows the Nass tributary, Bell-Irving River. Near Bob Quinn Lake the Iskut is joined by one of its largest tributaries, the Ningunsaw River, flowing from the southeast. The Ningunsaw River's watershed covers an area of . The landscape is very mountainous with elevations up to . About 12% of the watershed is covered by glaciers. The lower Ningunsaw is braided and has good salmonid spawning habitats, although anadromous fish are currently unable to reach the Ningunsaw. The Ningunsaw River originates in Ningunsaw Provincial Park, and flows along the edge of Ningunsaw River Ecological Reserve, which is within the river's watershed. The historic
Yukon Telegraph Trail The Yukon Telegraph Trail, also known simply as the Telegraph Trail, is a historic pathway in the Canadian province of British Columbia that extends from the village of Ashcroft in the south to the community of Atlin in the north. It was used for ...
passes through Ningunsaw Provincial Park and Ecological Reserve, then runs up the Iskut River to the vicinity of the Little Iskut River, where it leaves the Iskut, passes through the Little Iskut River watershed and through Mount Edziza Provincial Park to Telegraph Creek on the Stikine River. After the Ningunsaw confluence the Iskut River turns southwest, flowing through a braided channel and receiving the waters of Estshi Creek. The braided section comes to an end as Volcano Creek joins from the east, then Forrest Kerr Creek joins from the north. Between Forrest Kerr Creek and Snippaker Creek the Iskut River flows through the Lower Iskut Canyon, about long, which is carved into basaltic volcanic flows from
Iskut Canyon Cone Iskut Canyon Cone, also known as Iskut River Cone, is a cinder cone of the Iskut-Unuk River Cones group in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the steep southern flank of the Iskut valley near its junction with Forrest Kerr Creek. It ...
. McLymont Creek, flowing from the north, joins the Iskut in the canyon. Snippaker Creek, flowing from the south, joins at the end of the canyon. Three
hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
projects have been built in the area: the Forrest Kerr Hydroelectric Project, McLymont Creek Hydroelectric Project, and Volcano Creek Hydroelectric Project, all of which began operating in 2014. The largest is the Forrest Kerr Project, which diverts a portion of the Iskut River into a tunnel leading to an underground hydroelectric powerhouse. The Lower Iskut Canyon is a barrier to
fish migration Fish migration is mass relocation by fish from one area or body of water to another. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousa ...
, and the Forrest Kerr Project's diversion weir at the head of the canyon is impassable to fish migration. Thus
anadromous Fish migration is mass relocation by fish from one area or body of water to another. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousan ...
fish are blocked from the middle and upper Iskut River watershed. There are ongoing studies to assess whether modifications to the river in the canyon and to the Forrest Kerr diversion weir could allow fish migration into the middle Iskut watershed. The canyon marks the transition from the middle reach of the Iskut River to the lower reach, in which the Iskut flows in a highly braided channel almost directly west through the Coast Mountains. Below Snippaker Creek the Iskut is joined by the Verrett River, flowing from the north, Bronson Creek, from the south,
Twin River The Twin River is a tributary of the Iskut River in the northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada. From its source in Twin Glacier the Twin River flows south for about ,Length measured using BCGNIS coordinates, topographic maps, a ...
, from the north, Craig River, from the south, Zippa Creek, from the south,
Hoodoo River The Hoodoo River is a tributary of the Iskut River in the northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada, located west of Hoodoo Mountain and the Twin River in Cassiar Land District. From its source in Hoodoo Glacier the Hoodoo River f ...
, from the north, Inhini River, from the south, Johnson River, from the north, and Caralin Creek, from the south. Forrest Kerr Creek, McLymont Creek, the Verrett, Twin, and Hoodoo Rivers all originate from glaciers radiating from the
Andrei Icefield The Andrei Icefield is a large icefield in the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is located northwest of the community of Stewart in Cassiar Land District. The icefield is the source of many v ...
, which lies north of the lower Iskut River and east of the lower Stikine River. The upper Craig River flows through the Craig Headwaters Protected Area. The source of the Craig River is in Alaska. A few kilometres below Caralin Creek the Iskut River empties into the Stikine River just north of the community of Stikine, and south of Fowler,
Great Glacier Provincial Park Great Glacier Provincial Park is a provincial park located in the Stikine Country region of British Columbia, Canada. It was established on January 25, 2001 to protect Great Glacier and the surrounding mountainous terrain. The park lies in the t ...
, and
Choquette Hot Springs Provincial Park Choquette Hot Springs Provincial Park is a provincial park located in the Stikine Country region of British Columbia, Canada. It was established on January 25, 2001, to protect Stikine River Hot Springs, the largest hot springs on the Canadian sid ...
.


History

Most of the Iskut River watershed has been part of the Tahltan peoples homeland since prehistoric times. The lower Iskut is part of a shared transitional zone between the
interior plateau The Interior Plateau comprises a large region of the Interior of British Columbia, and lies between the Cariboo and Monashee Mountains on the east, and the Hazelton Mountains, Coast Mountains and Cascade Range on the west.''Landforms of British C ...
Tahltan and the
coastal The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...
Tlingit people. In
protohistoric Protohistory is a period between prehistory and history during which a culture or civilization has not yet developed writing, but other cultures have already noted the existence of those pre-literate groups in their own writings. For example, in ...
times the Tlingit ascended the Stikine River and its tributaries, including the lower Iskut, in large canoes during the summer to dry salmon and berries. They also visited trading camps as far inland as
Telegraph Creek Telegraph Creek is a small community located off Highway 37 in northern British Columbia at the confluence of the Stikine River and Telegraph Creek. The only permanent settlement on the Stikine River, it is home to approximately 250 members of Tah ...
and the
Tahltan River The Tahltan River is a tributary of the Stikine River in northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada. It flows generally east and southeast about Length measured using Google Maps path tool, BCGNIS coordinates, topographic maps, anTo ...
. In the winter the Tahltan had exclusive use of the lower Iskut and Stikine for fishing, hunting, and trapping, as far downriver as the Stikine–Iskut confluence. The fishing village of Saksina was located on the lower Iskut River near the Stikine confluence. The Tahltan traded caribou and moose hides, furs, sinew, babiche,
obsidian Obsidian () is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock. Obsidian is produced from felsic lava, rich in the lighter elements s ...
,
snowshoe Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...
s, and other items to the Tlingit in exchange for
fish oil Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish. Fish oils contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), precursors of certain eicosanoids that are known to reduce inflammation in the body a ...
s,
dentalia The word dentalium, as commonly used by Native American artists and anthropologists, refers to tooth shells or tusk shells used in indigenous jewelry, adornment, and commerce in western Canada and the United States. These tusk shells are a kind o ...
and
haliotis ''Haliotis'', common name abalone, is the only genus in the family Haliotidae. This genus once contained six subgenera. These subgenera have become alternate representations of ''Haliotis''. The genus consists of small to very large, edible, h ...
shells, knives, axes, wooden boxes, woven baskets, Chilkat blankets, and other ceremonial items. Trade and intermarriage linked the Tahltan and Tlingit. Socially the Tahltan were divided into two
exogamous Exogamy is the social norm of marrying outside one's social group. The group defines the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. One form of exogamy is dual exogamy, in which two groups c ...
moieties or
clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...
s, Tses'Kiya (raven) and Chiyone (wolf). These were further divided into three groups, sometimes also called clans. Around 1750 Tahltan–Tlingit intermarriage gave rise to a fourth group, the Nanyiee (wolf) family or band. Most of the Iskut River's watershed was inhabited by the Tahltan Tuckclarwaydee (also called "Naskoten") band of the Chiyone (wolf) clan or moiety. The Kartchottee (raven) band of the Tses'Kiya (raven) clan occupied much of the lower Stikine and Iskut Rivers. During the
maritime fur trade The maritime fur trade was a ship-based fur trade system that focused on acquiring furs of sea otters and other animals from the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast and natives of Alaska. The furs were mostly sold in China in ex ...
era of the late 18th and early 19th centuries Tlingit–Tahltan trade intensified as the Tlingit gained local monopolies on trade with Russian, British, and American trading ships. Tlingit
Chief Shakes Chief Shakes is a distinguished Tlingit leadership title passed down through generations among groups of native people from Northwestern North America. Lineages of the Shakes Origin The orphan Gush X’een (translation: Dorsal Fin Screen, Englis ...
controlled trade up the Stikine and Iskut Rivers, which largely consisted of
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
goods exchanged for furs. Non-indigenous people first visited the middle and upper Iskut River watershed in 1824. In 1825 the
Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
(HBC) and the
Russian-American Company The Russian-American Company Under the High Patronage of His Imperial Majesty (russian: Под высочайшим Его Императорского Величества покровительством Российская-Американс ...
(RAC) claimed area for trapping fur-bearing mammals. In 1838 Robert Campbell of the HBC made contact with the Tahltan from the interior, seeking to establish trading relations. But the Tahltan resented the disruption of established trading patterns and Chief Shakes had convinced the Tahltan that traders from the interior were enemies and should be killed. Campbell was forced to retreat from the region. In the late 1830s the HBC and RAC clashed over control of the coastal fur trade in the Stikine River area. In 1839 an agreement was reached in which the HBC leased a section of the coast and gained access to the Stikine River trade. The HBC acquired an RAC outpost at present Wrangell, Alaska, and named it
Fort Stikine Fort Stikine was a fur trade post and fortification in what is now the Alaska Panhandle, at the site of the present-day of Wrangell, Alaska. Originally built as the Redoubt San Dionisio or Redoubt Saint Dionysius (russian: Форт or , r ''Fort ...
. The Tlingit resisted the HBC's attempts to take over the Stikine River trade, forcing the HBC to suspend plans to occupy the interior. During this period of intensified trade many aspects of the Tlingit's coastal culture spread into the interior. Diseases also spread from the coast into the interior, causing a drastic reduction in both Tlingit and Tahltan populations. Several
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
epidemics devastated the Tahltan people, including one in 1836-38 and the
1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic Year 186 ( CLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Glabrio (or, less frequently, year 939 ''Ab urbe con ...
. In 1861 prospectors began to search for gold in the Stikine River basin. By 1878 most of the Iskut and Stikine River drainages had been explored by Westerners. In the early 20th century the region became a destination for recreational hunters. Hunting camps were established throughout the region. Local natives were employed as hunting guides. In the 1950s scientists began studying the area's significant wildlife ecosystems, eventually leading to the establishment of
Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, protecting most of the Spatsizi Plateau, the southeasternmost subplateau of the Stikine Plateau, and the upper reaches of the basin of the Stikine River. ...
in 1975. Many other protected areas have been established since then.


Ecology

The Iskut River supports runs of
anadromous Fish migration is mass relocation by fish from one area or body of water to another. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousan ...
salmonid fish species, including
bull trout The bull trout (''Salvelinus confluentus'') is a char of the family Salmonidae native to northwestern North America. Historically, ''S. confluentus'' has been known as the " Dolly Varden" (''S. malma''), but was reclassified as a separate specie ...
,
Chinook salmon The Chinook salmon (''Oncorhynchus tshawytscha'') is the largest and most valuable species of Pacific salmon in North America, as well as the largest in the genus ''Oncorhynchus''. Its common name is derived from the Chinookan peoples. Other ve ...
,
chum salmon The chum salmon (''Oncorhynchus keta''), also known as dog salmon or keta salmon, is a species of anadromous salmonid fish from the genus '' Oncorhynchus'' (Pacific salmon) native to the coastal rivers of the North Pacific and the Beringian A ...
,
coho salmon The coho salmon (''Oncorhynchus kisutch;'' Karuk: achvuun) is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family (biology), family and one of the five Pacific salmon species. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". The scientif ...
,
Dolly Varden trout The Dolly Varden trout (''Salvelinus malma'') is a species of salmonid fish native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. It belongs to the genus '' Salvelinus'', or true chars, which includes 51 recognized ...
,
pink salmon Pink salmon or humpback salmon (''Oncorhynchus gorbuscha'') is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon. The scientific species name is based on the Russian common name for ...
,
sockeye salmon The sockeye salmon (''Oncorhynchus nerka''), also called red salmon, kokanee salmon, blueback salmon, or simply sockeye, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it. This species is a P ...
, and
steelhead trout Steelhead, or occasionally steelhead trout, is the common name of the anadromous form of the coastal rainbow trout or redband trout (O. m. gairdneri). Steelhead are native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific basin in Northeast Asia and N ...
. Many other fish species are present in the Iskut watershed, including
cutthroat trout The cutthroat trout is a fish species of the family Salmonidae native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean, Rocky Mountains, and Great Basin in North America. As a member of the genus '' Oncorhynchus'', it is one of the Pacific tro ...
,
three-spined stickleback The three-spined stickleback (''Gasterosteus aculeatus'') is a fish native to most inland and coastal waters north of 30°N. It has long been a subject of scientific study for many reasons. It shows great morphological variation throughout its ra ...
, and
kokanee salmon The kokanee salmon (''Oncorhynchus nerka''), also known as the kokanee trout, little redfish, silver trout, kikanning, Kennerly's salmon, Kennerly's trout, or Walla, is the non-anadromous form of the sockeye salmon (meaning that they do not migrat ...
. Between Forrest Kerr Creek and Snippaker Creek the Iskut River flows through the Lower Iskut Canyon, about long, which is carved into basaltic volcanic flows from
Iskut Canyon Cone Iskut Canyon Cone, also known as Iskut River Cone, is a cinder cone of the Iskut-Unuk River Cones group in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the steep southern flank of the Iskut valley near its junction with Forrest Kerr Creek. It ...
. Below the canyon the braided portion of the Iskut River begins. The Lower Iskut Canyon, between Snippaker Creek and Forrest Kerr Creek, is a barrier to fish migration, and the Forrest Kerr Hydroelectric Project at the head of the canyon is impassable to fish migration. Thus anadromous fish are blocked from the middle Iskut River watershed. There are ongoing studies to assess whether modifications to the river in the canyon and the Forrest Kerr diversion weir could allow fish migration into the middle Iskut watershed. Studies have shown that some sockeye and steelhead are keyed to the flow chemistry of the Forrest Kerr tailrace sufficiently to enter the power tunnel, which suggests that these fish originated above the canyon. The Iskut River's watershed provides habitat for a large number of animal species. The upper Iskut region supports populations of wolverine, fisher,
grizzly bear The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horri ...
,
Stone sheep The Stone's sheep (''Ovis dalli stonei'') or stone sheep is the more southern subspecies of thinhorn sheep, ''Ovis dalli''. Distribution The global population of Stone's sheep is primarily found in Northern British Columbia and can often be seen ...
,
mountain goat The mountain goat (''Oreamnos americanus''), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a hoofed mammal endemic to mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to alpine species, it is a sure-footed climber commonly seen on cliffs and ...
,
moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult mal ...
,
woodland caribou Woodland caribou may refer to two North American reindeer (''Rangifer tarandus'') populations: * Boreal woodland caribou The boreal woodland caribou (''Rangifer tarandus caribou''; but subject to a recent taxonomic revision. See Reindeer: taxo ...
,
wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly u ...
, and
hoary marmot The hoary marmot (''Marmota caligata'') is a species of marmot that inhabits the mountains of northwest North America. Hoary marmots live near the tree line on slopes with grasses and forbs to eat and rocky areas for cover. It is the largest Nor ...
, among many others. Among the large number of bird species found in the upper Iskut region are
northern goshawk The northern goshawk (; ''Accipiter gentilis'') is a species of medium-large bird of prey, raptor in the Family (biology), family Accipitridae, a family which also includes other extant diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards and harrier (bird) ...
,
great horned owl The great horned owl (''Bubo virginianus''), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air"), or the hoot owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extrem ...
,
yellow-bellied sapsucker The yellow-bellied sapsucker (''Sphyrapicus varius'') is a medium-sized woodpecker that breeds in Canada and the northeastern United States. Taxonomy The yellow-bellied sapsucker was described and illustrated using a hand-coloured plate by the E ...
,
green-winged teal The green-winged teal (''Anas carolinensis'') is a common and widespread duck that breeds in the northern areas of North America except on the Aleutian Islands. It was considered Conspecificity, conspecific with the Eurasian teal (''A. crecca'') ...
,
blue-listed Blue-listed species are species that belong to the Blue List and includes any indigenous species or subspecies (taxa) considered to be vulnerable in their locale in order to provide early warning to federal and regional governments. Vulnerable taxa ...
short-eared owl The short-eared owl (''Asio flammeus'') is a widespread grassland species in the family Strigidae. Owls belonging to genus ''Asio'' are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or ...
, and locally endangered
Hudsonian godwit The Hudsonian godwit (''Limosa haemastica'') is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. The genus name ''Limosa'' is from Latin and means "muddy", from ''limus'', "mud". The specific ''haemastica'' is from Ancient Greek and means ...
.


Development and recreation

Since 2015 the Iskut River has been regulated by the Forrest Kerr Hydroelectric Project, a 195 MW
run-of-river Run-of-river hydroelectricity (ROR) or run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation plant whereby little or no water storage is provided. Run-of-the-river power plants may have no water storage at all or a limited amou ...
hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
project, located at the head of the lower canyon just above the mouth of Forrest Kerr Creek. Developed by
AltaGas AltaGas is a North American energy infrastructure company based in Calgary, Alberta. It links natural gas liquids (NGLs) and natural gas to both Canadian and global markets. The company operates in four business segments: utilities, midstream, p ...
, construction began in 2010 and was finished in June 2014 at a cost of
CAD Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve co ...
$725 million. Various contractors were involved in construction, including the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation. AltaGas signed a purchase agreement with
BC Hydro The British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, operating as BC Hydro, is a Canadian electric utility in the province of British Columbia. It is the main electricity distributor, serving more than 4 million customers in most areas, with the exce ...
to supply electricity to BC Hydro's
power grid An electrical grid is an interconnected network for electricity delivery from producers to consumers. Electrical grids vary in size and can cover whole countries or continents. It consists of:Kaplan, S. M. (2009). Smart Grid. Electrical Power ...
. The project does not use a full dam and reservoir, rather a high
weir A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...
diverts about of water from the Iskut into a power tunnel, leading to an
underground power station An underground power station is a type of hydroelectric power station constructed by excavating the major components (e.g. machine hall, penstocks, and tailrace) from rock, rather than the more common surface-based construction methods. One or mor ...
containing
turbine A turbine ( or ) (from the Greek , ''tyrbē'', or Latin ''turbo'', meaning vortex) is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. The work produced by a turbine can be used for generating e ...
s and generators. A tailrace tunnel returns the water to the Iskut River downstream of the powerhouse. Electricity generated by the project's substation is transmitted to BC Hydro's substation at Bob Quinn Lake via a transmission line built by AltaGas. The Forrest Kerr Project is one of the largest run-of-river hydroelectric projects in North America. AltaGas built two other nearby run-of-river projects, the 66 MW McLymont Creek Hydro Project, and the 16 MW Volcano Creek Project, both of which began producing electricity in 2014. The Forrest Kerr Project's diversion weir blocks fish migration. The canyon below the weir is a barrier to fish migration as well, so few fish are able to reach the diversion weir. Salmon feasibility studies have assessed the canyon, identifying obstacles that could be modified to allow fish passage, in which case the diversion weir could be modified with a fish passage structure. The Tahltan Nation has approved and participated in the projects, and is a partial owner. Although the three projects are closely linked AltaGas has treated them as separate projects, thus avoiding the Comprehensive Environmental Assessment that would have been required, which has drawn some criticism from politicians such as
Doug Donaldson Doug Donaldson (born January 20, 1957) is a Canadian politician, who represented the Stikine electoral district Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2009 to 2020. He is a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party and was fir ...
.


Tributaries

The main tributaries of the Iskut River, listed hierarchically in upriver order, are: * Caralin Creek * Johnson River * Inhini River *
Hoodoo River The Hoodoo River is a tributary of the Iskut River in the northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada, located west of Hoodoo Mountain and the Twin River in Cassiar Land District. From its source in Hoodoo Glacier the Hoodoo River f ...
* Zippa Creek * Craig River ** Raven Creek ** Sky Creek ** Jekill River *** Olatine Creek ** Brunt Creek ** Dick Creek ** Simma Creek ** Pounder Creek *
Twin River The Twin River is a tributary of the Iskut River in the northwest part of the province of British Columbia, Canada. From its source in Twin Glacier the Twin River flows south for about ,Length measured using BCGNIS coordinates, topographic maps, a ...
* Bronson Creek ** Monsoon Creek * Verrett River * Snippaker Creek * McLymont Creek * Forrest Kerr Creek * Volcano Creek * Estshi Creek * Ningunsaw River ** Bob Quinn Creek ** Ogilvie Creek ** Alger Creek ** Liz Creek ** Beaverpond Creek * Devil Creek * Thomas Creek * More Creek * Durham Creek * Ball Creek ** Chachani Creek * Burrage Creek ** Chismore Creek * Eastman Creek * Three Mile Creek * Little Iskut River ** Bourgeaux Creek *** Gerlib Creek ** Stewbomb Creek *** Artifact Creek * Todagin Creek ** Tsatia Creek * Kimball Creek * Jackson Creek * Coyote Creek * Mabon Creek * Zetu Creek ** Summit Creek * Kluachon Creek


See also

*
List of British Columbia rivers The following is a partial list of rivers of British Columbia, organized by watershed. Some large creeks are included either because of size or historical importance (See Alphabetical List of British Columbia rivers ). Also included are lakes th ...
*
Sacred Headwaters The Sacred Headwaters is a large subalpine drainage basin centred around Klappan Mountain of the Klappan Range in northern British Columbia. It is the source of three wild salmon rivers: the Skeena River, Nass River, and Stikine River. It is als ...


References


External links

* * * {{cite web , url= https://tahltan.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/TCG_SpringNewsletter2021_Web.pdf , title= Tahltan Central Government Spring Newsletter — 2021 , date= 2021 , publisher= Tahltan Central Government Cassiar Land District Rivers of British Columbia Rivers of the Boundary Ranges Stikine Country Tahltan Tlingit Tributaries of the Stikine River