The Souris River ( / ˈ s ʊər ɪ s / ; French : rivière Souris ) or Mouse River (as it is alternatively known in the U.S., a translation of its French name) is a river in central North America . Approximately 700 kilometres (400 mi) in length, it drains about 61,100 square kilometres (23,600 sq mi) in Canada and the United States .
59-476: Rising in southern Saskatchewan in the Yellow Grass Marshes north of Weyburn , the river wanders southeast into the U.S. through North Dakota beyond Minot to its most southern point at Velva , and then back north into Canada in southwestern Manitoba . Flowing east, it passes through the communities of Melita , Hartney , Souris , and Wawanesa , Manitoba, prior to the confluence with
118-627: A subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc ) with a shorter summer season. Summers can get very hot, sometimes above 38 °C (100 °F) during the day, and with humidity decreasing from northeast to southwest. Warm southern winds blow from the plains and intermontane regions of the Western United States during much of July and August, very cool or hot but changeable air masses often occur during spring and in September. Winters are usually bitterly cold, with frequent Arctic air descending from
177-965: A European-Canadian style of prosperous agrarian society . The long-term prosperity of the province depended on the world price of grain, which headed steadily upward from the 1880s to 1920, then plunged down. Wheat output was increased by new strains, such as the " Marquis wheat " strain which matured 8 days sooner and yielded 7 more bushels per acre (0.72 m /ha) than the previous standard, " Red Fife ". The national output of wheat soared from 8 million imperial bushels (290,000 m ) in 1896, to 26 × 10 ^ imp bu (950,000 m ) in 1901, reaching 151 × 10 ^ imp bu (5,500,000 m ) by 1921. Urban reform movements in Regina were based on support from business and professional groups. City planning, reform of local government, and municipal ownership of utilities were more widely supported by these two groups, often through such organizations as
236-515: A large channel that is now occupied by the much smaller contemporary Souris River. Also, much of the drainage basin is fertile silt and clay deposited by another former glacial lake, Lake Souris . During the period from 1930 to 1941 severe drought conditions prevailed and PFRA constructed four stock watering dams. In 1937 the Snyder and Ross Dams were built near Melita. In 1938 the Napinka Dam
295-520: A warm summer, corresponding to its humid continental climate ( Köppen type Dfb ) in the central and most of the eastern parts of the province, as well as the Cypress Hills ; drying off to a semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen type BSk ) in the southwestern part of the province. Drought can affect agricultural areas during long periods with little or no precipitation at all. The northern parts of Saskatchewan – from about La Ronge northward – have
354-449: Is a major employer in the province with almost 2,500 permanent full-time staff in 71 communities. Publicly funded elementary and secondary schools in the province are administered by twenty-seven school divisions . Public elementary and secondary schools either operate as secular or as a separate schools . Nearly all school divisions, except one operate as an English first language school board. The Division scolaire francophone No. 310
413-567: Is bordered on the west by Alberta , on the north by the Northwest Territories , on the east by Manitoba , to the northeast by Nunavut , and to the south by the United States ( Montana and North Dakota ). Saskatchewan and Alberta are the only landlocked provinces of Canada. In 2024, Saskatchewan's population was estimated at 1,239,865. Nearly 10% of Saskatchewan's total area of 651,900 km (251,700 sq mi)
472-536: Is expected that the total runoff for 2011 at Wawanesa will exceed 3,800,000 acre-feet (4.7 km) about a one in 500-year event. The average annual runoff is equivalent to 3 mm over the entire Souris River watershed. Two large dams in Saskatchewan, Rafferty Dam and Grant Devine Dam were built, in part, to reduce flood peaks on the Souris River. In summer 2011, a historic flood affected much of
531-439: Is fresh water, mostly rivers, reservoirs, and lakes . Residents live primarily in the southern prairie half of the province, while the northern half is mostly forested and sparsely populated. Roughly half live in the province's largest city, Saskatoon , or the provincial capital, Regina . Other notable cities include Prince Albert , Moose Jaw , Yorkton , Swift Current , North Battleford , Estevan , Weyburn , Melfort , and
590-652: Is in the Cypress Hills less than 2 km (1.2 mi) from the provincial boundary with Alberta. The lowest point is the shore of Lake Athabasca , at 213 m (699 ft). The province has 14 major drainage basins made up of various rivers and watersheds draining into the Arctic Ocean , Hudson Bay and the Gulf of Mexico . Saskatchewan receives more hours of sunshine than any other Canadian province. The province lies far from any significant body of water. This fact, combined with its northerly latitude, gives it
649-485: Is the only province without a natural border . As its borders follow geographic lines of longitude and latitude , the province is roughly a quadrilateral , or a shape with four sides. However, the southern border on the 49th parallel and the northern border on the 60th parallel curve to the left as one proceeds east, as do all parallels in the Northern Hemisphere. Additionally, the eastern boundary of
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#1732771846870708-484: Is the only school division that operates French first language schools. In addition to elementary and secondary schools, the province is also home to several post-secondary institutions. List of lakes in Saskatchewan This is a list of lakes of Saskatchewan , a province of Canada . The largest and most notable lakes are listed at the start, followed by an alphabetical listing of other lakes of
767-436: Is the world's largest exporter of mustard seed. Beef cattle production by a Canadian province is only exceeded by Alberta. In the northern part of the province, forestry is also a significant industry. Mining is a major industry in the province, with Saskatchewan being the world's largest exporter of potash and uranium . Oil and natural gas production is also a very important part of Saskatchewan's economy, although
826-462: The 2021 Canadian census , the ten most spoken languages in the province included English (1,094,785 or 99.24%), French (52,065 or 4.72%), Tagalog (36,125 or 3.27%), Cree (24,850 or 2.25%), Hindi (15,745 or 1.43%), Punjabi (13,310 or 1.21%), German (11,815 or 1.07%), Mandarin (11,590 or 1.05%), Spanish (11,185 or 1.01%), and Ukrainian (10,795 or 0.98%). The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. According to
885-415: The 2021 census , religious groups in Saskatchewan included: Historically, Saskatchewan's economy was primarily associated with agriculture , with wheat being the precious symbol on the province's flag. Increasing diversification has resulted in agriculture, forestry , fishing , and hunting only making up 8.9% of the province's GDP in 2018. Saskatchewan grows a large portion of Canada's grain. In 2017,
944-667: The Assiniboine River near Treesbank , about 40 kilometres (25 mi) southeast of Brandon . The main tributaries of the Souris in Manitoba are the Antler River , Gainsborough Creek , and Plum Creek . The elevation at the confluence is approximately 340 metres (1,120 ft) above sea level . At the end of the last ice age , over 10,000 years ago, the rapid draining of former Glacial Lake Regina eroded
1003-557: The Canadian Prairies . In the early 20th century, the province became known as a stronghold for Canadian social democracy; North America's first social-democratic government was elected in 1944 . The province's economy is based on agriculture , mining , and energy . Saskatchewan is presently governed by Premier Scott Moe , the leader of the Saskatchewan Party , which has been in power since 2007. In 1992,
1062-897: The First Nations in Saskatchewan and the federal government, in collaboration with provincial governments. In 1876, following their defeat of United States Army forces at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana Territory in the United States, the Lakota Chief Sitting Bull led several thousand of his people to Wood Mountain . Survivors and descendants founded Wood Mountain Reserve in 1914. The North-West Mounted Police set up several posts and forts across Saskatchewan, including Fort Walsh in
1121-589: The North-West Territories to administer the vast territory between British Columbia and Manitoba . The Crown also entered into a series of numbered treaties with the indigenous peoples of the area, which serve as the basis of the relationship between First Nations , as they are called today, and the Crown. Since the late twentieth century, land losses and inequities as a result of those treaties have been subject to negotiation for settlement between
1180-570: The Sarcee , Niitsitapi , Atsina , Cree , Saulteaux , Assiniboine (Nakoda), and Sioux . The first known European to enter Saskatchewan was Henry Kelsey from England in 1690, who travelled up the Saskatchewan River in hopes of trading fur with the region's indigenous peoples. Fort La Jonquière and Fort de la Corne were first established in 1751 and 1753 by early French explorers and traders. The first permanent European settlement
1239-652: The boreal forest in the north and the prairies in the south. They are separated by an aspen parkland transition zone near the North Saskatchewan River on the western side of the province, and near to south of the Saskatchewan River on the eastern side. Northern Saskatchewan is mostly covered by forest except for the Lake Athabasca Sand Dunes , the largest active sand dunes in the world north of 58°, and adjacent to
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#17327718468701298-1118: The oil industry is larger. Among Canadian provinces, only Alberta exceeds Saskatchewan in overall oil production. Heavy crude is extracted in the Lloydminster-Kerrobert-Kindersley areas. Light crude is found in the Kindersley-Swift Current areas as well as the Weyburn-Estevan fields. Natural gas is found almost entirely in the western part of Saskatchewan, from the Primrose Lake area through Lloydminster, Unity, Kindersley, Leader, and around Maple Creek areas. Major companies based in Saskatchewan include Nutrien , Federated Cooperatives Ltd. and Cameco . Major Saskatchewan-based Crown corporations are Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), SaskTel , SaskEnergy (the province's main supplier of natural gas), SaskPower , and Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC). Bombardier runs
1357-618: The 1920s; it had close ties with the governing Liberal party. In 1913, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association was established with three goals: to watch over legislation; to forward the interests of the stock growers in every honourable and legitimate way; and to suggest to parliament legislation to meet changing conditions and requirements. Immigration peaked in 1910, and in spite of the initial difficulties of frontier life – distance from towns, sod homes, and backbreaking labour – new settlers established
1416-402: The 75th anniversary of its establishment in 1980, with Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon , presiding over the official ceremonies. In 2005, 25 years later, her sister, Queen Elizabeth II , attended the events held to mark Saskatchewan's centennial. Since the late 20th century, First Nations have become more politically active in seeking justice for past inequities, especially related to
1475-528: The Agreement, the First Nations received money to buy land on the open market. As a result, about 761,000 acres have been turned into reserve land and many First Nations continue to invest their settlement dollars in urban areas", including Saskatoon. The money from such settlements has enabled First Nations to invest in businesses and other economic infrastructure. In June 2021, a graveyard containing
1534-535: The Board of Trade. Church-related and other altruistic organizations generally supported social welfare and housing reforms; these groups were generally less successful in getting their own reforms enacted. The province responded to the First World War in 1914 with patriotic enthusiasm and enjoyed the resultant economic boom for farms and cities alike. Emotional and intellectual support for the war emerged from
1593-830: The Cypress Hills, and Wood Mountain Post in south-central Saskatchewan near the United States border. Many Métis people, who had not been signatories to a treaty, had moved to the Southbranch Settlement and Prince Albert district north of present-day Saskatoon following the Red River Rebellion in Manitoba in 1870. In the early 1880s, the Canadian government refused to hear the Métis' grievances, which stemmed from land-use issues. Finally, in 1885,
1652-478: The Hudson's Bay Company, which claimed rights to all watersheds flowing into Hudson Bay , including the Saskatchewan River , Churchill , Assiniboine , Souris , and Qu'Appelle River systems. In the late 1850s and early 1860s, scientific expeditions led by John Palliser and Henry Youle Hind explored the prairie region of the province. In 1870, Canada acquired the Hudson's Bay Company's territories and formed
1711-679: The Klan), enjoyed about two years of prominence. It declined and disappeared, subject to widespread political and media opposition, plus internal scandals involving the use of the organization's funds. In 1970, the first annual Canadian Western Agribition was held in Regina. This farm-industry trade show, with its strong emphasis on livestock, is rated as one of the five top livestock shows in North America, along with those in Houston , Denver , Louisville and Toronto . The province celebrated
1770-622: The Métis, led by Louis Riel , staged the North-West Rebellion and declared a provisional government. They were defeated by a Canadian militia brought to the Canadian prairies by the new Canadian Pacific Railway. Riel, who surrendered and was convicted of treason in a packed Regina courtroom, was hanged on November 16, 1885. Since then, the government has recognized the Métis as an aboriginal people with status rights and provided them with various benefits. The national policy set by
1829-501: The NATO Flying Training Centre at 15 Wing, near Moose Jaw . Bombardier was awarded a long-term contract in the late 1990s for $ 2.8 billion from the federal government for the purchase of military aircraft and the running of the training facility. SaskPower since 1929 has been the principal supplier of electricity in Saskatchewan, serving more than 451,000 customers and managing $ 4.5 billion in assets. SaskPower
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1888-665: The Ottawa, of a Lieutenant Governor and a Council to assist him. Highly optimistic advertising campaigns promoted the benefits of prairie living. Potential immigrants read leaflets that described Canada as a favourable place to live and downplayed the need for agricultural expertise. Ads in The Nor'-West Farmer by the Commissioner of Immigration implied that western land held water, wood, gold, silver, iron, copper, and cheap coal for fuel, all of which were readily at hand. The reality
1947-567: The Souris River basin, overtopping levees and causing the evacuation of about 11,000 residents in Minot as well as significant damage to farmland and other property along the length of the river. The channel capacity of the river in Manitoba varies from about 150 cubic feet per second (4.2 m/s) near the border, to about 1,400 cu ft/s (40 m/s) through Melita, to about 1,100 cu ft/s (31 m/s) near Lauder and 1,700 cu ft/s (48 m/s) near Hartney. North of Hartney
2006-407: The basic institutions of plains society, economy and government. Gender roles were sharply defined. Men were primarily responsible for breaking the land; planting and harvesting; building the house; buying, operating and repairing machinery; and handling finances. At first, there were many single men on the prairie, or husbands whose wives were still back east, but they had a hard time. They realized
2065-444: The border city of Lloydminster . English is the primary language of the province, with 82.4% of Saskatchewanians speaking English as their first language . Saskatchewan has been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples . Europeans first explored the area in 1690 and first settled in the area in 1774. It became a province in 1905, carved out from the vast North-West Territories , which had until then included most of
2124-476: The capacity increases to more than 3,000 cu ft/s (85 m/s). The drop between the border and Hartney is only about six inches per mile (9.5 cm/km). Fish species include walleye , yellow perch , northern pike , white sucker , black bullhead , goldeye , brown bullhead , smallmouth bass, and burbot . Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a province in Western Canada . It
2183-417: The distinction of being the only Canadian province for which no borders correspond to physical geographic features (i.e. they are all parallels and meridians). Along with Alberta, Saskatchewan is one of only two land-locked provinces. The overwhelming majority of Saskatchewan's population is in the southern third of the province, south of the 53rd parallel . Saskatchewan contains two major natural regions:
2242-511: The effects can be mitigated through adaptations of cultivars , or crops, is less clear. Resiliency of ecosystems may decline with large changes in temperature. The provincial government has responded to the threat of climate change by introducing a plan to reduce carbon emissions , "The Saskatchewan Energy and Climate Change Plan", in June 2007. Saskatchewan has been populated by various indigenous peoples of North America , including members of
2301-408: The export market. Population quintupled from 91,000 in 1901 to 492,000 in 1911, thanks to heavy immigration of farmers from Ukraine, U.S., Germany and Scandinavia. Efforts were made to assimilate the newcomers to British Canadian culture and values. In the 1905 provincial elections, Liberals won 16 of 25 seats in Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan government bought out Bell Telephone Company in 1909, with
2360-460: The federal and provincial governments signed a historic land claim agreement with First Nations in Saskatchewan . The First Nations received compensation which they could use to buy land on the open market for the bands. They have acquired about 3,079 km (761,000 acres; 1,189 sq mi), new reserve lands under this process. Some First Nations have used their settlement to invest in urban areas, including Regina and Saskatoon. The name of
2419-745: The federal government, the Canadian Pacific Railway , the Hudson's Bay Company and associated land companies encouraged immigration. The Dominion Lands Act of 1872 permitted settlers to acquire one-quarter of a square mile of land to homestead and offered an additional quarter upon establishing a homestead. In 1874, the North-West Mounted Police began providing police services. In 1876, the North-West Territories Act provided for appointment, by
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2478-511: The flexibility exhibited by farm women in performing productive and nonproductive labour was critical to the survival of family farms, and thus to the success of the wheat economy. On September 1, 1905, Saskatchewan became a province, with inauguration day held on September 4. Its political leaders at the time proclaimed its destiny was to become Canada's most powerful province. Saskatchewan embarked on an ambitious province-building program based on its Anglo-Canadian culture and wheat production for
2537-519: The government owning the long-distance lines and left local service to small companies organized at the municipal level. Premier Walter Scott preferred government assistance to outright ownership because he thought enterprises worked better if citizens had a stake in running them; he set up the Saskatchewan Cooperative Elevator Company in 1911. Despite pressure from farm groups for direct government involvement in
2596-528: The grain handling business, the Scott government opted to loan money to a farmer-owned elevator company. Saskatchewan in 1909 provided bond guarantees to railway companies for the construction of branch lines, alleviating the concerns of farmers who had trouble getting their wheat to market by waggon. The Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association , was the dominant political force in the province until
2655-559: The need for a wife. In 1901, there were 19,200 families, but this surged to 150,300 families only 15 years later. Wives played a central role in settlement of the prairie region. Their labour, skills, and ability to adapt to the harsh environment proved decisive in meeting the challenges. They prepared bannock, beans and bacon, mended clothes, raised children, cleaned, tended the garden, helped at harvest time and nursed everyone back to health. While prevailing patriarchal attitudes, legislation, and economic principles obscured women's contributions,
2714-500: The north, and with high temperatures not breaking −17 °C (1 °F) for weeks at a time. Warm chinook winds often blow from the west, bringing periods of mild weather. Annual precipitation averages 30 to 45 centimetres (12 to 18 inches) across the province, with the bulk of rain falling in June, July, and August. Saskatchewan is one of the most tornado -active parts of Canada , averaging roughly 12 to 18 tornadoes per year, some violent. In 2012, 33 tornadoes were reported in
2773-729: The politics of Canadian national identity, the rural myth, and social gospel progressivism The Church of England was especially supportive. However, there was strong hostility toward German-Canadian farmers. Recent Ukrainian immigrants were enemy aliens because of their citizenship in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A small fraction were taken to internment camps. Most of the internees were unskilled unemployed labourers who were imprisoned "because they were destitute, not because they were disloyal". The price of wheat tripled and acreage seeded doubled. The wartime spirit of sacrifice intensified social reform movements that had predated
2832-410: The production of canola surpassed the production of wheat , which is Saskatchewan's most familiar crop and the one most often associated with the province. The total net income from farming was $ 3.3 billion in 2017, which was $ 0.9 billion less than the income in 2016. Other grains such as flax , rye , oats , peas , lentils , canary seed, and barley are also produced in the province. Saskatchewan
2891-596: The province follows range lines and correction lines of the Dominion Land Survey , laid out by surveyors prior to the Dominion Lands Act homestead program (1880–1928). Saskatchewan is part of the western provinces and is bounded on the west by Alberta , on the north by the Northwest Territories , on the north-east by Nunavut , on the east by Manitoba , and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota . Saskatchewan has
2950-546: The province is derived from the Saskatchewan River . The river is known as ᑭᓯᐢᑳᒋᐘᓂ ᓰᐱᐩ kisiskāciwani-sīpiy ("swift flowing river") in the Cree language . Anthony Henday's spelling was Keiskatchewan , with the modern rendering, Saskatchewan , being officially adopted in 1882, when a portion of the present-day province was designated a provisional district of the North-West Territories . Saskatchewan
3009-702: The province was −56.7 °C (−70.1 °F) in Prince Albert , north of Saskatoon, in February 1893. The effects of climate change in Saskatchewan are now being observed in parts of the province. There is evidence of reduction of biomass in Saskatchewan's boreal forests (as with those of other Canadian prairie provinces ) is linked by researchers to drought-related water stress, stemming from global warming , most likely caused by greenhouse gas emissions . While studies as early as 1988 (Williams, et al., 1988) have shown climate change will affect agriculture,
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#17327718468703068-576: The province. The Regina Cyclone took place in June 1912 when 28 people died in an F4 Fujita scale tornado. Severe and non-severe thunderstorm events occur in Saskatchewan, usually from early spring to late summer. Hail, strong winds and isolated tornadoes are a common occurrence. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Saskatchewan was in July 1937 when the temperature rose to 45 °C (113 °F) in Midale and Yellow Grass . The coldest ever recorded in
3127-636: The remains of 751 unidentified people was found at the former Marieval Indian Residential School , part of the Canadian Indian residential school system . Languages of Saskatchewan (2016): Indigenous and visible minority identity (2021): According to the 2011 Canadian census , the largest ethnic group in Saskatchewan is German (28.6%), followed by English (24.9%), Scottish (18.9%), Canadian (18.8%), Irish (15.5%), Ukrainian (13.5%), French ( Fransaskois ) (12.2%), First Nations (12.1%), Norwegian (6.9%), and Polish (5.8%). As of
3186-529: The southern shore of Lake Athabasca . Southern Saskatchewan contains another area with sand dunes known as the "Great Sand Hills" covering over 300 km (120 sq mi). The Cypress Hills , in the southwestern corner of Saskatchewan and Killdeer Badlands ( Grasslands National Park ), are areas of the province that were unglaciated during the last glaciation period, the Wisconsin glaciation . The province's highest point, at 1,392 m (4,567 ft),
3245-418: The taking of indigenous lands by various governments. The federal and provincial governments have negotiated on numerous land claims, and developed a program of "Treaty Land Entitlement", enabling First Nations to buy land to be taken into reserves with money from settlements of claims. "In 1992, the federal and provincial governments signed an historic land claim agreement with Saskatchewan First Nations. Under
3304-555: The war and now came to fruition. Saskatchewan gave women the right to vote in 1916 and at the end of 1916 passed a referendum to prohibit the sale of alcohol. In the late 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan , imported from the United States and Ontario, gained brief popularity in nativist circles in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The Klan, briefly allied with the provincial Conservative party because of their mutual dislike for Premier James G. "Jimmy" Gardiner and his Liberals (who ferociously fought
3363-503: Was a Hudson's Bay Company post at Cumberland House , founded in 1774 by Samuel Hearne . The southern part of the province was part of Spanish Louisiana from 1762 until 1802. In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase transferred from France to the United States part of what is now Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1818, the U.S. ceded the area to Britain. Most of what is now Saskatchewan was part of Rupert's Land and controlled by
3422-588: Was built and the Hartney Dam was built in 1941. These were all stop log dams with a total capacity of 2,400 acre-feet (3,000,000 m). The Souris Dam was originally built in 1911 and was rebuilt in 1935. The Wawanesa Dam was completed in 1951 storing about 320 acre-feet (390,000 m) of water. Most of the annual flow of the Souris River comes from snow melt and spring rains. The annual flow volume varies dramatically from 3,400 acre-feet (4,200,000 m) in 1937 to 2,100,000 acre-feet (2.6 km) in 1976. It
3481-414: Was far harsher, especially for the first arrivals who lived in sod houses . However eastern money poured in and by 1913, long term mortgage loans to Saskatchewan farmers had reached $ 65 million. The dominant groups comprised British settlers from eastern Canada and Britain, who comprised about half of the population during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They played the leading role in establishing
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