Swan River
is located in the
Canadian provinces
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...
of
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
and
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
. The river, and several other features in the area, are named after the
trumpeter swans
The trumpeter swan (''Cygnus buccinator'') is a species of swan found in North America. The heaviest living bird native to North America, it is also the largest extant species of waterfowl, with a wingspan of 185 to 250 cm (6 ft 2 in to 8 ft 2 in ...
found in the region.
Description
The river is located in the
Swan Lake
''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoye ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, link=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failur ...
drainage basin. It arises in the northwest corner of the basin in the
Porcupine Hills
The Porcupine Hills refer to various groups of hills and uplands located in the prairie provinces of Canada, specifically the Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They are part of the Manitoba Escarpment ...
and flows generally south, contained in a large valley two miles (3 km) wide and deep, until it nears
Pelly, Saskatchewan
Pelly ( 2016 population: ) is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to th ...
. Here it turns northeast, collecting tributary streams off the north escarpment of the
Duck Mountains, and terminates at Swan Lake.
Slopes on the south escarpment of the Porcupine Hills average . The elevation of the Swan River plain at
Norquay, Saskatchewan
Norquay is a town in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was named after John Norquay, premier of Manitoba from 1878 to 1887. It is the administrative headquarters of the Key Saulteaux First Nation band government.
Demographics
In th ...
is above sea level, and at Swan Lake it is 850 feet (260 m) above sea level, with an average slope of .
The Swan River has a drainage area of , a maximum annual discharge of (1922), and a maximum daily discharge of (1995). Major tributaries include Maloneck Creek and Spruce Creek, (which originate in the Swan River plain), and Bear Head Creek,
Roaring River, the West and East Favel Rivers, and the Sinclair River, (which originate in the Duck Mountains).
Communities located on the river include
Swan River and
Lenswood. Communities located on its tributaries include Norquay (on Spruce Creek), and
Minitonas
Minitonas is an unincorporated urban community in the Municipality of Minitonas – Bowsman, Manitoba, Canada. It is surrounded by the Swan Valley and is located 15 km east of the Town of Swan River. The community is close to the Duck Mo ...
(on the East Favel River). The average annual discharge of the river at the Town of Swan River is approximately of water.
Surface water
Surface water is water located on top of land forming terrestrial (inland) waterbodies, and may also be referred to as ''blue water'', opposed to the seawater and waterbodies like the ocean.
The vast majority of surface water is produced by prec ...
quality is generally good to fair. In recent years, total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentration data have shown a decreasing trend.
See also
*
Assiniboine River fur trade#Upper Assiniboine and Swan River fur trade
*
List of rivers of Manitoba
*
List of rivers of Saskatchewan
This is a list of rivers of Saskatchewan, a province of Canada.
The largest and most notable rivers are listed at the start, followed by rivers listed by drainage basin and then alphabetically.
Principal river statistics
''SourcSt ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swan River (Manitoba-Saskatchewan)
Rivers of Manitoba
Rivers of Saskatchewan
Bodies of water of Parkland Region, Manitoba