56-525: The Quesnell Bridge is a girder bridge that spans the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton , Alberta, Canada. It is part of Edmonton's southern freeway, Whitemud Drive . An average of 120,000 cars pass over the bridge every day. The bridge connects the communities of Brookside and Brander Gardens on the south end to Quesnell Heights and Laurier Heights on the north end. Located directly to
112-951: A 2,500-seat multi-purpose arena , is home to the Battlefords North Stars ice hockey team of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League . It is also home to the North Battleford Kinsmen Indoor Rodeo, held annually in April. The InnovationPlex (formerly North Battleford CUplex), which opened in 2013, includes the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts, the Northland Power Curling Centre, the NationsWest Field House, and
168-419: A city (with a population of 5,000) in 1913. The Assyrians were one of the first settlers of the area in and around North Battleford. The immigrant colony comprised 36 men and a few women from the town of Urmia in northwestern Persia. It was established in 1903 by Dr. Isaac Adams, an Assyrian Presbyterian missionary. In 1907, 40 more settlers arrived. Eventually, due to economic hardships, Dr. Isaac Adams and
224-455: A cost of $ 8.8 million. Construction on the bridge began in June 1967 with a tentative opening on October 31, 1968. However, it was delayed due to a wet weather in the summer before the bridge officially opened on November 19, 1968. It was originally designed to carry five-lanes of traffic with a 4.5 metre wide sidewalk on the east side for pedestrian and bridle path usage. In 2008, the city announced
280-466: A few close relatives emigrated to Turlock, California . The descendants of the families who remained in North Battleford have names that are Assyrian in origin. Examples of Assyrian family names include Bakus, Essau, George and Odishaw. Population growth stagnated until the 1940s and then grew to approximately 10,000 by the 1960s. The city has grown into an administrative centre and service hub for
336-712: A generating capacity of 120 megawatts (MW), and has an available water supply that allows it to be the largest producer of hydroelectric electricity in Alberta, with an average of 408,000 megawatt hours (MW⋅h) each year. One of the North Saskatchewan's major tributaries, the Brazeau River , houses the Brazeau Hydroelectric Plant . At 355 MW, the Brazeau Dam is Alberta's largest hydroelectric facility, and
392-480: A length of 1,287 kilometres (800 mi), and a drainage area of 122,800 square kilometres (47,400 sq mi). At its end point at Saskatchewan River Forks it has a mean discharge of 245 cubic metres per second (8,700 cu ft/s). The yearly discharge at the Alberta–Saskatchewan border is more than 7 cubic kilometres (1.7 cu mi). The river begins above 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) at
448-513: A project to widen the bridge, Whitemud Drive , and Fox Drive , adding capacity projected to be sufficient until 2058. It was completed in September 2011. In August 2010 during excavation for a sewer-pipeline line several fossils were unearthed about 27 m (89 ft) below ground level. They were believed to be fossils from two extinct genera, Edmontosaurus and Albertosaurus . North Saskatchewan River The North Saskatchewan River
504-511: A public transit system, in addition to the book-as-needed "Handi-bus" for people with disabilities. BattlefordsNOW.com is an online local news site focusing on what's happening "right NOW" in the Battlefords and surrounding area. The local newspaper is the Battlefords' News-Optimist . It is published weekly on Thursdays and has circulation in the surrounding area. Feed The Artist Magazine
560-468: A result of fur trading by French colonists in the late 18th century. The Canadians founded Fort Montaigne d'Aigle (Eagle Hills Fort) nine miles below the confluence of the Saskatchewan and Battle Rivers in 1778. A year later the fort was abandoned following conflict between traders and natives. Permanent European settlement in the area centred around the town of Battleford, founded 1875 and located on
616-553: A stage of 9.03 m (29.6 ft) with a peak instantaneous discharge of 2,710 cubic metres per second (96,000 cu ft/s) on June 23 in Edmonton. This is significantly higher than the Bow River's peak height at 4.1 metres (13 ft) and peak discharge of 1,750 cubic metres per second (62,000 cu ft/s) on June 21, that caused widespread flooding in Calgary . However, due to
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#1732844690461672-676: Is omaka-ty 'big river'. The 49-kilometre section of the North Saskatchewan River that falls within the boundaries of Banff National Park was designated a Canadian Heritage River in 1989, due to its importance in the development of Western Canada . In 2022 the remaining 718 km within Alberta, flowing through 16 municipalities in the province, was nominated to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System, achieving final designation in March of 2024. The river demarcates
728-583: Is 40 kilometres (25 mi) north on Highway 4. For thousands of years prior to European settlement, succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples lived in the area. The Battlefords area (including the present city of North Battleford and town of Battleford ) was home to several historic indigenous groups, including the Algonquian-speaking Cree and Blackfeet as well as Siouan Assiniboine First Nation band governments , who contested for control of local resources. Early European settlement began as
784-770: Is a glacier -fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan , where it joins with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River . Its water flows eventually into the Hudson Bay . The Saskatchewan River system is the largest shared between the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Its watershed includes most of southern and central Alberta and Saskatchewan. The North Saskatchewan River has
840-604: Is a city in west-central Saskatchewan , Canada. It is the seventh largest city in the province and is directly across the North Saskatchewan River from the Town of Battleford . Together, the two communities are known as "The Battlefords". North Battleford borders the Rural Municipality of North Battleford No. 437 , as well as the North Battleford Crown Colony ( census subdivision ). Situated immediately north of
896-643: Is shown on a Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) map from 1760, labelled as the Beaver River . Its Cree name is kisiskâciwanisîpiy , meaning 'swift current'. From this name is derived the name Saskatchewan, used as well for the South Saskatchewan River and the Saskatchewan River (of which both the North and South Saskatchewan rivers are major tributaries), and the province of that name. Its Blackfoot name
952-787: Is the largest system of urban parks in Canada, and covers both sides of the river valley's course through Edmonton. The River Valley Alliance, a non-profit organization composed of seven municipalities which border the North Saskatchewan River, is currently working to create a continuous trail network from the town of Devon to the city of Fort Saskatchewan – a total of 100 kilometres (62 mi). Fish species include: walleye , sauger , yellow perch , northern pike , goldeye , mooneye , lake sturgeon , mountain whitefish , burbot , longnose sucker , white sucker and shorthead redhorse . The upper North Saskatchewan River contains cutthroat trout (although not native), and bull trout Like all rivers,
1008-602: The Alberta Government to transfer water from the Peace , Smoky , and Athabasca rivers to the Saskatchewan River Basin . The planned dam had a maximum height of 65 metres (212 ft), with a crest length of 1.76 kilometres (5,760 ft), which would have created a reservoir capable of holding over 4.9 cubic kilometres (4,000,000 acre⋅ft) of water. The reservoir would have affected municipal water works in
1064-506: The Canadian National Railways Station was built in 1956. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , North Battleford had a population of 13,836 living in 5,696 of its 6,346 total private dwellings, a change of -3.3% from its 2016 population of 14,315 . With a land area of 33.55 km (12.95 sq mi), it had a population density of 412.4/km (1,068.1/sq mi) in 2021. In
1120-597: The Saskatchewan Western Development Museum . This branch focuses on the agricultural history of Saskatchewan, including a pioneer village. A prominent feature is the former Saskatchewan Wheat Pool grain elevator No. 889 from Keatley, Saskatchewan . The grain elevator was moved to the museum grounds in 1983. The city also has the Allen Sapp Gallery, featuring the noted Cree painter. The North Battleford Access Communications Centre ,
1176-577: The fur trade spearheaded by the North West Company (NWC) and followed by the HBC, the river became an important transportation route for fur trade brigades' York boats , to which it was especially well suited as it follows an eastern trend toward Hudson Bay, the entry point for the HBC into the continent. Many fur trade posts were constructed on the river, including Fort Edmonton (1795) and Rocky Mountain House,
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#17328446904611232-493: The labour costs of fur trade brigades , and hoped steamboat shipping would provide a suitable alternative. Several HBC steamboats navigated the river intermittently for many years, although fluctuating water levels and natural barriers (rapids and sandbars ) hampered efficient operation. With the arrival of the railroad in Western Canada , steamboat shipping on the North Saskatchewan tapered off, but steamboats operated in
1288-539: The "tons upon tons of debris" that had been pushed up against its piers, including a house swept away by the current. Thousands of Edmonton residents watched the flood destroy lumber mills , other industries and dozens of houses along the city's river valley. The river peaked at a stage of 13.73 metres (45.0 ft), a rise of 11.5 metres (38 ft) above low flow, with an estimated peak instantaneous discharge of 5,800 cubic metres per second (200,000 cu ft/s). However, based on high water marks and 1D modelling,
1344-448: The 1910s and was later abandoned. The city remained in debt from financing the project until 1960, and the site still attracts tourists today. During the 1960s and 1970s, a major dam was planned on the North Saskatchewan near the Hamlet of Hairy Hill, Alberta , about 160 kilometres (100 mi) downstream from Edmonton. This dam was part of a larger interbasin water diversion conceived by
1400-545: The Battlefords CO-OP Aquatic Centre. In 2001, a problem with the city's water system led to the infection of approximately 6,280 people with cryptosporidiosis ; a lawsuit seeking several million dollars in damages was filed in 2003. Between 5,800 and 7,100 people suffered from diarrheal illness, and 1,907 cases of cryptosporidiosis were confirmed. Equipment failures at the city's antiquated water filtration plant following maintenance were found to have caused
1456-558: The City of Fort Saskatchewan, was likely to inundate part of the Saddle Lake Indian reserve , and would have flooded a number of oil and natural gas fields in the area. The plan was later shelved in light of economic and environmental concerns. The Bighorn Dam was constructed near Nordegg and created Abraham Lake , one of the largest reservoirs in Alberta. The dam was constructed in 1972 by Calgary Power . The Bighorn Plant has
1512-417: The Edmonton area until the economic crash of 1912-14. A number of dams have been planned and constructed on the North Saskatchewan River and its tributaries . No singular purpose has dominated dam planning in the basin, indeed, hydroelectric development , flood control , and water diversion schemes have all underpinned proposals to construct dams on the river. The first hydroelectric development on
1568-509: The North Saskatchewan River joins the South Saskatchewan River at Saskatchewan River Forks to become the Saskatchewan River. From there, the river flows east to Tobin Lake and into Manitoba , eventually emptying into Lake Winnipeg . The river course can be divided into five distinct sections. The first, the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains , is the smallest area geographically, although
1624-400: The North Saskatchewan is subject to periodic flooding, beginning with rapid snowmelt in the mountains or prolonged periods of rain in the river basin . With the establishment of permanent communities along the river's course, and the rise of an administrative/government structure, records exist recording floods in the North Saskatchewan for the past century. The Bighorn Dam , constructed in
1680-479: The North Saskatchewan was planned in 1910 near the Town of Drayton Valley . Funding for the plan came from a British syndicate; design and construction were to be carried out by the Edmonton Hydro-Electric Power Scheme. The development was shelved after the outbreak of World War I. The La Colle Falls hydroelectric project east of Prince Albert was a half-built failure. Construction began in
1736-585: The Saskatchewan River Forks, has many rapids . The valley is more shallow than the previous sections of the river, and the channel is much better defined. There is little prairie and much tree cover in this section. The water flows on then in the Saskatchewan River . The Bridge River Ash is in the vicinity of the North Saskatchewan River, which erupted from the Mount Meager massif in southwestern British Columbia about 2350 years ago. The river
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1792-457: The Saskatchewan delivering trade goods and amassing furs for transportation to Europe. The North Saskatchewan also witnessed a lively, although short-lived, era of steamboat shipping during the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) purchased a number of steamboats from companies operating on the Red River and trading at Winnipeg / Fort Garry . The HBC desired to avoid paying
1848-496: The actual value may have been closer to 6,300 cubic metres per second (220,000 cu ft/s). The river peaked at a stage of 11.5 metres (38 ft) with a peak instantaneous discharge of 4,520 cubic metres per second (160,000 cu ft/s). Along with many other rivers in central and southern Alberta during late June, the North Saskatchewan saw significantly higher water levels and flow rates. The river peaked at
1904-609: The annual log drive downstream to Edmonton prior to the First World War, as a source of ice blocks for home owners' iceboxes. The first bridge across the river opened in 1900, the Low Level Bridge (Edmonton) . The Canadian Northern Railway Bridge (Prince Albert) (1907-9), which also at first carried foot and wheeled traffic, and the Battleford bridge (ca. 1908) followed. Edmonton's North Saskatchewan River valley parks system
1960-471: The city challenging the dubious 'Crime Town' moniker. North Battleford experiences a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ). The average high during the end of July is 24.6 °C (76.3 °F) and the average low is 11.3 °C (52.3 °F). For the middle of January the average high is −12.3 °C (9.9 °F) and the average low is −22.6 °C (−8.7 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in North Battleford
2016-467: The early 1970s near Nordegg, Alberta , and the Brazeau Dam , constructed in the mid-1960s, have not reduced flooding potential on the North Saskatchewan River (Alberta Environment 1981) The river peaked at a stage of 12.61 metres (41.4 ft) with an estimated peak instantaneous discharge of 5,100 cubic metres per second (180,000 cu ft/s). The 1915 flood of the North Saskatchewan River
2072-513: The economic, education, health and social needs of the region. North Battleford used STV-PR in its city elections from 1920 to 1924. The Latter Rain Revival , a Christian movement, started here in 1946–48. A number of heritage buildings are located within the city. The North Battleford Public Library was built in 1916 with a $ 15,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation of New York . and
2128-571: The expansive North Saskatchewan River Valley and natural sanctuary/parkland that surrounds it, the City of Edmonton had only minor, isolated flooding, with virtually no major property damage as a result. The North Saskatchewan River has always been a major trade route from Hudson Bay and central Canada across the Canadian Prairies to the Canadian Rockies. During the fur trade era, birch bark canoes and York boats travelled up and down
2184-481: The landscape. The fourth section, from the Vermilion River to Prince Albert is principally prairie with a few small stretches of timber and secondary forest cover. The valley of the river is much wider, and the river itself spreads out across shallow water and flows over many shifting sand bars . Low-lying, flat areas border the river for much of this section. The final section of the river, from Prince Albert to
2240-420: The largest in terms of run-off and contributed water flow. The glaciers and perpetual snows of the mountain peaks feed the river year-round. Mountains, with little vegetation, experience fast-melting snow cover. The second section of the river comprises the foothills region . The terrain is hilly and rough, with a deeper and more defined valley. This area is well covered with forest and muskeg , and run-off into
2296-401: The late 2000s many Ruthenians have emigrated to Canada, concentrating in North Battleford. Most of them came from the same town: Ruski Krstur . In 2018, Maclean's ranked North Battleford as Canada's most dangerous place for overall crime. The prior year, Maclean's published an article about this, Canada's most dangerous place, North Battleford, is fighting for its future , discussing
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2352-648: The mouth of the Battle River , North Battleford and the greater Battlefords area are a notable stop along the Yellowhead Highway , part of the Trans-Canada system , and serve as a commercial and cultural hub for west- and north-central Saskatchewan . Together, the Battlefords are served by the Yellowhead Highway as well as Highway 4 , Highway 26 , Highway 29 , and Highway 40 . Battlefords Provincial Park
2408-416: The north end of Abraham Lake, where the North Saskatchewan emerges to track eastward to Rocky Mountain House . At Rocky Mountain House, the river abruptly turns north again for 100 kilometres (62 mi) where it switches east towards Edmonton, Alberta . In Edmonton, the river passes through the centre of the city in a northeasterly direction and out towards Smoky Lake at which point it quickly changes to
2464-562: The outbreak. The provincial and municipal government offered compensation to victims after the lawsuit was approved in 2017. The North Battleford Energy Centre , a natural gas-fired power station owned by Northland Power , has been operational since 2013. North Battleford is served by the North Battleford Airport , while the North Battleford/Hamlin Airport is no longer in use. The city also recently added
2520-540: The per person index may not be accurate because the population data does not consider the numerous transients, estimated at just over 14,000. In his view, the city has roughly 30,000 people at any time. "If you put our rates over 30,000 people we wouldn't be number one [in the Maclean's study]," he said. In 2023, the City of North Battleford earned its highest position on the Crime Severity Index (CSI) since 1998, with
2576-412: The prairie–parkland divide for much of its course and acted as a natural boundary between plains Blackfoot of the south and woodland Cree of the north for thousands of years. Archaeologists have found evidence and indications of nearly 800 permanent or temporary occupation and quarry sites in the Edmonton region alone, dating back hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. With the westward expansion of
2632-551: The river is much more constant and stable than in the mountains. From Edmonton to the mouth of the Vermilion River, the North Saskatchewan flows through the plains-parkland divide, with occasional stretches of prairie. The North Saskatchewan River valley parks system ; the largest expanses of urban parkland in Canada. Cutting across Edmonton and the Capital Region . The river runs in a well-defined valley with deep cuts in
2688-478: The safety initiatives planned by the community. After the article was published, Mayor Ryan Bater said: The reality is we require the provincial and federal levels of government to take notice of this and align their efforts with ours. This needs to be a partnership. This can't be something the governments do in silos and we need to be working together. If we can do that, then sometime in the future we can see some great results. City Manager Jim Puffalt added that
2744-530: The south side of the North Saskatchewan River . Battleford served as capital of the North-West Territories between 1876 and 1883. In 1905, the construction of the Canadian Northern Railway main line to Edmonton placed the line on the north side of the North Saskatchewan River. North Battleford, built along the railway line, was incorporated as a village in 1906, as a town in 1907, and as
2800-447: The southeast and then more to the east as it makes its way to the Alberta–Saskatchewan boundary. From the border, the river flows southeast between North Battleford and Battleford and on in the direction of Saskatoon . About 40 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Saskatoon, near Langham , the river veers to the northeast where it passes through the City of Prince Albert . About 30 kilometres (19 mi) downstream of Prince Albert,
2856-527: The southeast of the bridge's southern head is the Talus Dome , a public sculpture comprising roughly 1000 silver balls that was erected in 2011 at the cost of $ 600,000. In 1950, Philip Louis Pratley , who was serving as Edmonton's cross-river structure consultant, recommended five new bridges to be built in the city including one at 142 Street. On December 12, 1966, city council approved the Quesnell bridge plan at
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#17328446904612912-704: The toe of the Saskatchewan Glacier in the Columbia Icefield , and flows southeast through Banff National Park alongside the Icefields Parkway . At the junction of the David Thompson Highway (Highway 11), it initially turns northeast for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) before switching to a more direct eastern flow for about 30 kilometres (19 mi). At this point, it turns north where it eventually arrives at Abraham Lake . Bighorn Dam constricts
2968-546: The uppermost post reached by canoe navigation. The river's importance continued after the amalgamation of the HBC and the NWC. The river was plied by a number of steamboats up to the First World War, although for everyday freight the growing web of railway lines in the western prairies eventually replaced them. The river was used commercially for many years – to carry flatboats of settlers goods and construction materials downstream from Edmonton, to float thousands of logs in
3024-425: Was 39.5 °C (103.1 °F) on 13 July 2002. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −51.7 °C (−61 °F) on 1 February 1893 and 12 January 1916. North Battleford is represented in the provincial Legislative Assembly by the member for The Battlefords . It is represented in the House of Commons by the member for Battlefords-Lloydminster . North Battleford is the home of one of four branches of
3080-612: Was built in 1965 by Calgary Power. Though having a higher peak generating capacity than the Bighorn Dam, the hydrology of the Brazeau means that its average annual electricity production is a slightly smaller 397,000 MW⋅h. Tributaries of the North Saskatchewan River: [REDACTED] Media related to North Saskatchewan River at Wikimedia Commons North Battleford, Saskatchewan North Battleford
3136-494: Was one of the most dramatic in the history of Edmonton. On 28 June, the Edmonton Bulletin reported the river had risen "10 feet in as many hours" and ultimately hitting a height of 42 feet over the low water level. A frantic phone call from Rocky Mountain House alerted local authorities to the flood's arrival. The Canadian Northern Railway had parked a number of train cars on the city's Low Level Bridge to protect against
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