Elbow River
| Elbow River | |
|---|---|
 Elbow River in Calgary |
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| Origin | Elbow Lake, Elbow Pass, Kananaskis Improvement District 50°38′32″N 115°00′22″W / 50.64219°N 115.00604°W |
| Mouth | Bow River 51°02′43″N 114°02′29″W / 51.04519°N 114.04126°W |
| Basin countries |  Canada |
| Length | 120 km (75 mi)[1] |
| Source elevation | 2,100 m (6,900 ft) |
| Mouth elevation | 1,040 m (3,410 ft) |
| Basin area | +1,200 km2 (460 sq mi)[1] |
The Elbow River is a river located in southern Alberta, Canada. It flows from the Canadian Rockies to the city of Calgary, where it merges into the Bow River.
The Elbow River is popular among canoers, rafters, campers and hikers and runs through several features including Allen Bill Pond, Forgetmenot Pond, and Elbow Falls. Trout fishing on the Elbow is fair, but the scenery makes up for the slow fishing. As a mountain stream it lacks the high nutrient levels that support the prolific aquatic bug populations of other fly-fishing destination rivers; however, drop-and-pool sections of the river above Elbow Falls can contain relatively large (up to 35 cm) native cutthroat. Sections of the river are closed to fishing, or are "catch-and-release" waters: check regulations at Alberta Sustainable Resource Development: http://www.albertaregulations.ca/fishingregs/
The water flow of the Elbow River fluctuates significantly, and in June 2005 a flood occurred that was so severe (the heaviest in at least two centuries according to Albertan Government estimates) that the water flowed over the dam. Approximately 1,500 Calgarians living downstream were evacuated.[2]
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[edit] Course
The Elbow River originates from Elbow Lake in the Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park in the Canadian Rockies, then continues through the Rocky Mountain foothills and flows into the hamlet of Bragg Creek. The Elbow River passes under Highway 22 and then travels through the rural community of Springbank and the Tsuu T'ina Nation 145 Indian reserve directly west of Calgary. The river enters the City of Calgary at the Weaselhead Flats, an artificial inland delta, and into the Glenmore Reservoir, one of Calgary's two chief sources of drinking water. From there, it flows northward through residential communities towards the city centre, is crossed by Macleod Trail, passes the Calgary Stampede grounds and finally joins the Bow River west of the Calgary Zoo.
Fort Calgary (the North-West Mounted Police post established in 1873 around which settlement in the Calgary area began) was located at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers.
The river has a total length of 120 kilometres (75 mi), and drains an area of over 1,200 square kilometres (460 sq mi).[1] From its origin in the Elbow Pass at approximately 2,100 metres (6,900 ft), it drops 1,060 metres (3,480 ft) at a 1% slope to its mouth at the Bow River, situated at an altitude of 1,040 m (3,410 ft).
[edit] Tributaries
- Canyon Creek
- Iron Creek
- Bragg Creek
- Harris Creek
- Primez Creek
- Millburn Creek
- Springbank Creek
- Cullen Creek
- May Creek
- Lott Creek
[edit] Gallery
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Upper course in the Elbow Pass
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Glenmore Reservoir in Calgary
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Confluence with Bow River
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Elbow River Watershed Partnership. "Description of the Elbow Watershed". http://www.erwp.org/watersheddescription.html. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ City of Calgary. "2005 Flood Report". http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_766_249_0_43/http%3B/content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Living/The+Environment/Water+and+Wastewater/2005+Flood+Report.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-24.[dead link]
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