Cheslatta River
| Cheslatta River | |
| Name origin: Dakelh word meaning either "top of small mountain" or "small rock mountain at east side". | |
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Province | British Columbia |
| Source | Skins Lake |
| - elevation | 830 m (2,723 ft) |
| - coordinates | 53°46′43″N 125°57′28″W / 53.77861°N 125.95778°W |
| Mouth | Nechako River |
| - elevation | 717 m (2,352 ft) |
| - coordinates | 53°38′43″N 124°56′13″W / 53.64528°N 124.93694°WCoordinates: 53°38′43″N 124°56′13″W / 53.64528°N 124.93694°W |
| Discharge | for below Cheslatta Falls |
| - average | 72.2 m3/s (2,550 cu ft/s) |
| - max | 465 m3/s (16,421 cu ft/s) |
| - min | 26.6 m3/s (939 cu ft/s) |
The Cheslatta River is a tributary of the Nechako River, one of the main tributaries of the Fraser River, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It flows through the Nechako Plateau. Before the construction of Kenney Dam in the early 1950s the Cheslatta was a minor tributary of the Nechako. Today the Nechako River is dry above the Cheslatta, which provides all its source water.
The name "Cheslatta" comes from a Dakelh word meaning either "top of small mountain" or "small rock mountain at east side".
Before the Nechako Reservoir was created in the early 1950s the Cheslatta River began north of Ootsa Lake. After Kenney Dam was built Ootsa Lake merged with many other lakes, forming the Nechako Reservoir. Skins Lake, a small lake just north of Ootsa Lake near the original headwaters of the Cheslatta River, was also joined to the Nechako Reservoir. At Skins Lake the reservoir's spillway was built, allowing excess water to be released into the Cheslatta River. Today Skins Lake is considered the source of the Cheslatta River. From there the Cheslatta flows generally east and a little south. Moxley Creek and Dog Creek join from the north, after which the river widens into the long but relatively narrow Cheslatta Lake. Knapp Creek empties into Cheslatta Lake from the north. After Cheslatta Lake the river flows a short distance before widening into Murray Lake. Bird Creek joins from the west. After Murray Lake the river flows a few kilometres to its confluence with the Nechako River. The Cheslatta cascades overs Cheslatta Falls just before joining the Nechako. Numerous small tributary streams join the Cheslatta River along its course.
Originally the Cheslatta River was small, with an average annual flow of about 5 cubic metres per second (180 cu ft/s). After the Nechako Reservoir was filled its level has been controlled by releasing water into the Cheslatta River via the Skins Lake Spillway. These releases average 94.7 cubic metres per second (3,340 cu ft/s), ranging from no flow to a 2007 release and flood of 600 cubic metres per second (21,000 cu ft/s). Flows above 400 cubic metres per second (14,000 cu ft/s) are not uncommon, and four times flows have exceeded 500 cubic metres per second (18,000 cu ft/s).
...
Wikipedia