The Nechako River ( Dakelh : ᘅᐪᙠᗶᑋ) / n ə ˈ tʃ æ k oʊ / arises on the Nechako Plateau east of the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia , Canada , and flows north toward Fort Fraser , then east to Prince George where it enters the Fraser River . "Nechako" is an anglicization of netʃa koh , its name in the indigenous Carrier language which means "big river".
16-765: The Nechako River's main tributaries are the Stuart River , which enters about 45 kilometres (28 mi) east of Vanderhoof , the Endako River , the Chilako River , which enters about 15 kilometres (9 mi) west of Prince George, and the Nautley River , a short stream from Fraser Lake . Other tributaries include the Cheslatta River , which drains Cheslatta Lake and enters the Nechako at
32-591: A portion of the Nechako Plateau —a gently rolling region characterized by small lakes and tributaries. Low but impressive ridges interact with the river, creating high bluffs and hoodoos . The Stuart River's watershed is the northernmost part of the Fraser River's drainage basin . Although the Stuart River itself begins at the south end of Stuart Lake there are many additional rivers and lakes in
48-577: A subgroup of the Dakelh or Carrier people, were flooded out by the creation of the reservoir and forced to abandon their homes with only two weeks' warning. The increase in water temperature caused by the reduction in flow has been an ongoing problem for the salmon run on the Fraser and Stuart Rivers as well as the Nechako. Populations of White Sturgeon may have also been affected as studies show an unnatural decline in late-juvenile/early adult populations of
64-615: Is a deep fjord -like lake with the Swannell Ranges to the east, the Driftwood River flowing into it from the north, and the Middle River draining it. It is the terminus of the early Stuart-Takla sockeye salmon run , and noted for its large rainbow trout, lake trout and Dolly Varden. The peninsula is the home of Mount Blanchet Provincial Park . Also on the peninsula is a herd of collared woodland caribou , and
80-491: The area. Trumpeter swans winter along the upper Stuart. The river supports sturgeon and one of the highest-quality wild sockeye salmon runs in the world. In some years, up to one million sockeye salmon migrate up the river system to the spawning grounds in tributary streams and rivers north of Stuart Lake. Takla Lake Takla Lake is the fifth largest natural lake in British Columbia , Canada . It
96-764: The command of the New Caledonia district . During the Omineca Gold Rush , steamboats ran on the river from the Quesnel area on the Fraser River to Stuart Lake. The Stuart River's watershed is forested with lodgepole pine , spruce , cottonwood , aspen , Douglas fir , and some birch . Understory trees include willow , dogwood , and alder . There are also open grassy hills with dwarf juniper and open, park-like stands of aspen and spruce. The area provides deer , moose , and elk with winter ranges and riparian feeding areas. A small elk herd lives in
112-483: The conduit for Simon Fraser's expedition down the Fraser River to present-day Vancouver in 1808. It was first ascended by Fraser's assistant, James McDougall , in 1806. The river and the lake it drains are named for another of Fraser's assistants, John Stuart , who accompanied Simon Fraser when he ascended the Stuart River in 1806 and established Fort St. James at Stuart Lake. In 1809 Stuart succeeded Fraser in
128-556: The foot of the Nechako Canyon via Cheslatta Falls , near Kenney Dam and the Nechako Reservoir . The expedition of Alexander MacKenzie went past the mouth of the Nechako in 1793, curiously without observing it. The first European to ascend the Nechako was James McDougall , a member of Simon Fraser 's expedition, in 1806. The Nechako is one of the main tributaries of the Fraser River, although half of its flow
144-463: The lake because its conversion into a reservoir involved the amalgamation of chains of lakes, the largest of which were Eutsuk Lake and Natalkuz Lake , which form the south arm of the reservoir. The reservoir's alternate name comes from Ootsa Lake , now merged into the north arm of the reservoir but originally flowing into the Oosta River, a tributary of the Nechako. Other lakes also merged into
160-407: The north arm are Whitesail Lake and Tahtsa Lake , with the correspondingly-named rivers connecting them now flooded and renamed Whitesail Reach and Tahtsa Reach. The Quanchus Range is located between the two arms of the reservoir. The damming of the Nechako in 1952 and the consequent massive reduction in flow has been the source of considerable political controversy. The Cheslatta Carrier Nation ,
176-602: The south end of Stuart Lake near Fort St. James and the Necoslie Indian Reserve. The Necoslie River joins the river just as it exits Stuart Lake. The Stuart River flows generally south and east for 187 kilometres (116 mi), collecting numerous small tributary streams. It turns to flow more directly south near its confluence with the Nechako River. The Stuart River is part of the traditional Dakelh (Carrier) territory. The entire area lies within
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#1732772460707192-470: The species. Stuart River (Canada) The Stuart River or Nak'alkoh ( Dakelh name) is one of the largest tributaries of the Nechako River in northeastern British Columbia , Canada . The Nechako is in turn one the more important tributaries of the Fraser River . The Stuart River flows 187 kilometres (116 mi) from Stuart Lake to its junction with the Nechako River. The river drains
208-575: The traditional territory of the Nak'azdli First Nation of Fort St. James and the Saik'uz First Nation of Stoney Creek. According to oral tradition Chinlac , an important Dakelh village on the Stuart River, was destroyed around 1745 by Tsilhqot'in raiders from Nazko . Chinlac is a provincially significant archaeological site. The Stuart River is important in British Columbia history, having been
224-472: The watershed. Far to the north the Sakeniche River and Driftwood River flow into Takla Lake , which empties into the Middle River , which in turn flows to Trembleur Lake . The Tachie River flows south from Trembleur Lake to Stuart Lake. a journey of at least 290 kilometres (180 mi). The river has been named as one of twenty British Columbia heritage rivers. The Stuart River begins at
240-422: The winter range of grizzly bears . Two special features are Takla Lake Marine Park , and an Ecological Reserve on the peninsula, a stand of very northerly Douglas Fir . Takla Lake is also the origin of both of Canada's national airlines, both Russ Baker and Grant McConachie running bush plane routes out of Takla Lake. It is a popular canoe route from the top end down to Fort St. James . Takla Lake may be
256-578: Was diverted through the Coast Mountains to the Kemano generating station at sea level on the Gardner Canal , 858 metres (2,815 ft) below the reservoir's intakes, which supplies power to the aluminum smelter at nearby Kitimat . The main reservoir of the Nechako power diversion is called the Nechako Reservoir or Ootsa Lake Reservoir, but there are many subnames for different parts of
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