Bow River
| Bow River | |
|---|---|
The Bow River near Banff | |
Map of the Bow River | |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Bow Lake |
| • coordinates | 51°39′03″N 116°25′12″W / 51.65083°N 116.42000°W |
| • elevation | 1,960 m (6,430 ft) |
| Mouth | South Saskatchewan River |
• coordinates | 49°55′42″N 111°41′12″W / 49.92833°N 111.68667°W |
• elevation | 700 m (2,300 ft) |
| Length | 587 km (365 mi) |
| Basin size | 26,200 km2 (10,100 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 129 m3/s (4,600 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 3 m3/s (110 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 1,640 m3/s (58,000 cu ft/s) |
The headwaters of the Bow River in Alberta, Canada, start at the Bow Glacier and Bow Lake in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The glacial stream that feeds Bow Lake has a mean elevation of 2310 metres above sea level (7578 feet above sea level). From there, the river winds through the Alberta foothills onto the prairies, where it meets the Oldman River, the two then forming the South Saskatchewan River. These waters ultimately flow through the Nelson River into Hudson Bay.
The Bow River Basin is the most highly populated basin in Alberta, with over 1.6 million people living within the watershed. Major population centres along the Bow River, listed from upstream to downstream, include Lake Louise (population 1,004), Banff (population 10,944), Canmore (population 17,200), Cochrane (population 38,014), and Calgary (population 1,481,806).
In addition, the Bow River is an important source of water for irrigation and drinking water. Between 1910 and 1960, the Bow River and its tributaries were engineered to provide hydroelectric power, primarily for Calgary's use. This significantly altered the river's flow and certain ecosystems.[3]: 151
In the Bow River Basin, there are 20 sub-watersheds that drain into the Bow River. From a roughly upstream to downstream direction, these sub-watersheds are:
| Watershed name | Area (square kilometres) | Area (square miles) |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Bow River | 1,463 | 565 |
| Brewster Creek | 756 | 292 |
| Spray River | 782 | 302 |
| Cascade River | 723 | 279 |
| Bow River and Ghost Reservoir | 1,203 | 464 |
| Kananaskis River | 928 | 358 |
| Ghost River | 944 | 364 |
| Elbow River | 1,231 | 475 |
| Fish Creek | 452 | 174 |
| Sheep River | 1,595 | 616 |
| Highwood River | 2,386 | 921 |
| Crowfoot Creek | 1,465 | 565 |
| West Arrowwood Creek | 1,103 | 426 |
| Jumpingpound Creek | 598 | 231 |
| Nose Creek | 978 | 378 |
| Bow River and Bighill Creek | 469 | 181 |
| Pine Creek | 205 | 79 |
| Middle Bow | 2,958 | 1,142 |
| Lower Bow and 12 Mile Coulee | 2,738 | 1,057 |
| Lower Bow | 2,583 | 997 |