Cariboo River

The Cariboo River is a tributary of the Quesnel River, one of the main tributaries of the Fraser River, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It flows through the Cariboo region of the British Columbia Interior, southeast of Prince George. Above Cariboo Lake it was formerly known as the Swamp River. The name was adopted, and replaced the former names, in 1936 in association with Cariboo Lake.[3]

Cariboo River
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
Physical characteristics
SourceCariboo Mountains
 • locationCariboo
 • coordinates53°2′20″N 120°29′50″W[1]
 • elevation2,012 m (6,601 ft)[2]
MouthQuesnel River
 • location
Quesnel Forks, Cariboo
 • coordinates
52°39′45″N 121°40′32″W[3]
 • elevation
642 m (2,106 ft)[2]
Basin size3,260 km2 (1,260 sq mi)[4]
Discharge 
 • locationmouth[4]
 • average93.4 m3/s (3,300 cu ft/s)[4]
 • minimum7.36 m3/s (260 cu ft/s)
 • maximum626 m3/s (22,100 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftMatthew River, Little River
 • rightIsaac River

Course

The Cariboo River's headwaters flow from many large ice fields in the Cariboo Mountains. It flows generally west, picking up numerous tributary streams, many also draining ice fields. After entering Bowron Lake Provincial Park, the Cariboo is joined by the Isaac River from the north, after which the Cariboo widens into Lanezi Lake, south of the Mowdish Range.[5] At its western end Lanezi Lake empties into Sandy Lake, from which the Cariboo River flows first northwest, then abruptly south. It leaves Bowron Lake Provincial Park. The Matthew River then joins from the east. Farther south the Little River also joins from the east, after which the Cariboo River flows through Cariboo Lake. Cariboo River Provincial Park occupies the river valley north of Cariboo Lake. The Cariboo River flows south from Cariboo Lake, then turns west and empties into the Quesnel River at Quesnel Forks, northwest of Likely.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Canadian 1:50K topographic maps" (map). TopoQuest.com. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  2. Elevation derived from ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model, using GeoLocator, and BCGNIS coordinates
  3. "Cariboo River". BC Geographical Names.
  4. "Archived Hydrometric Data Search". Water Survey of Canada. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2013. Search for Station 08KH003 Cariboo River below Kangaroo Creek
  5. "Isaac River". BC Geographical Names.
  6. Course information in part from "Merritt, Canadian 1:50K topographic maps" (map). TopoQuest.com. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
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