Klinaklini River

Klinaklini River
Mouth of Klinaklini River
EtymologyKwak'wala word for eulachon grease
Native name
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
DistrictRange 2 Coast Land District
Physical characteristics
SourceUnnamed lake
  locationCoast Mountains
  coordinates51°45′3″N 125°5′51″W / 51.75083°N 125.09750°W / 51.75083; -125.09750
  elevation2,130 m (6,990 ft)
MouthPacific Ocean
  location
Knight Inlet, Coast Mountains
  coordinates
51°5′32″N 125°37′34″W / 51.09222°N 125.62611°W / 51.09222; -125.62611
  elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Basin size5,780 km2 (2,230 sq mi)
Discharge 
  locationmouth
  average299 m3/s (10,600 cu ft/s)
  minimum38 m3/s (1,300 cu ft/s)
  maximum3,260 m3/s (115,000 cu ft/s)

The Klinaklini River /ˌklnəˈklni/ (Kwak'wala name T̓linat̓łina also spelled ƛ̓inaƛ̓ina) is one of the major rivers of the Pacific Ranges section of the Coast Mountains in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It originates in the Pantheon Range and empties into the head of Knight Inlet.

A different spelling of Klinaklini is Kleena Kleene, which is the name of a recreational community on the river just below its exit from the Pantheon Range onto the Chilcotin Plateau. In the area of Kleena Kleene the Klinaklini, Homathko and Chilanko River basins share the same stretch of plateau.

The names Kleena Kleene and Klinaklini derive from the Kwak'wala word for eulachon grease, which is made from the eulachon, a small oily fish that ascend coastal rivers.

There is a First Nation village of the Tanakteuk subdivision of the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples at the mouth of the river, Tsawatti. Located on the Indian Reserve of the same name, it is the primary eulachon fishing and preservation site of the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples and as such is open for use by other subdivisions of the Kwakwaka'wakw.