The Palliser River is a
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 drai ...
of the
Kootenay River
The Kootenay or Kootenai river is a major river in the Northwest Plateau, in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, and northern Montana and Idaho in the United States. It is one of the uppermost major tributary, tributaries of the Columbia Ri ...
in the
Canadian province 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, ...
. It is part of the
Columbia River basin, as the Kootenay River is a tributary of the Columbia River.
The Palliser River is named in honor of
John Palliser
John Palliser (29 January 1817 – 18 August 1887) was an Irish-born geographer and explorer. Following his service in the Waterford Militia and hunting excursions to the North American prairies, he led the British North American Explor ...
, whose
Palliser Expedition explored the Canadian Rockies from 1857 to 1859.
Course
The Palliser River originates in
Height of the Rockies Provincial Park
Height of the Rockies Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Canadian Rockies of south eastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located west of the Continental Divide (in this region, the British Columbia/Alberta Border), adjacent to Elk La ...
, in the
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...
on the west slopes of the
Continental Divide. Its headwaters are located near Palliser Pass. The river flows south then west to join the Kootenay River. Albert River joins the Palliser River shortly before its confluence with the Kootenay River.
See also
*
List of British Columbia rivers
*
Tributaries of the Columbia River
Tributaries and sub-tributaries are hierarchically listed in order from the mouth of the Columbia River upstream. Major dams and reservoir lakes are also noted.
List of major tributaries
The main river and tributaries are (sorted in order from ...
References
Rivers of British Columbia
Tributaries of the Kootenay River
{{BritishColumbia-river-stub