Vetter Creek
| Vetter Creek | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| District | Cassiar Land District |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Xhlawit |
| • location | Coast Mountains |
| • coordinates | 55°6′33″N 129°12′19″W / 55.10917°N 129.20528°W |
| • elevation | 1,533 m (5,030 ft) |
| Mouth | Nass River |
• coordinates | 55°12′26″N 129°9′15″W / 55.20722°N 129.15417°W |
• elevation | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Length | 17 km (11 mi) |
| Basin size | 72.5 km2 (28.0 sq mi), |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 2.17 m3/s (77 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Topo map | NTS103P3 Tseax River |
Vetter Creek is a tributary of the Nass River in the northern part of the province of British Columbia, Canada.
From its source at Xhlawit (formerly "Vetter Mountain"), Vetter Creek flows generally east and north for roughly 17 km (11 mi) to join the Nass River near the Nisga'a communities of Gitwinksihlkw and Gitlaxt'aamiks (formerly "Canyon City" and "New Aiyansh" respectively).
Vetter Creek's watershed covers 72.5 km2 (28.0 sq mi). The lower part of the drainage basin near the creek's mouth is within Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Corridor Protected Area, which adjoins Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park and was established as part of the Nisga'a Treaty.
The creek's mean annual discharge is estimated at 2.17 m3/s (77 cu ft/s). The mouth of Vetter Creek is located about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) west of Gitlaxt'aamiks ("New Aiyansh"), about 125 km (78 mi) northeast of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, about 435 km (270 mi) northwest of Prince George, British Columbia, about 155 km (96 mi) east of Ketchikan, Alaska; about 780 km (480 mi) north of Vancouver, British Columbia, and about 465 km (289 mi) southeast of Juneau, Alaska. Vetter Creek's watershed's land cover is classified as 50.9% conifer forest, 18.9% barren, 11.9% shrubland, 8.7% snow/glacier, and small amounts of other cover.
Most of Vetter Creek's drainage basin lies within the territory of the Nisga'a First Nation, or within Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park (Nisga'a: Anhluut'ukwsim Lax̲mihl Angwinga'asankswhl Nisg̲a'a). The park is jointly managed by the provincial government and the Nisga'a Nation.