Coquitlam River

Coquitlam River
Location
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Physical characteristics
Source
• coordinates	49°33′13″N 122°45′59″W
• elevation	1,034 m (3,392 ft)
Mouth	Fraser River
• location	Port Coquitlam, Metro Vancouver
• coordinates	49°13′30″N 122°48′18″W
• elevation	4 m (13 ft)
Discharge
• location	Port Coquitlam
• average	6.04 m3/s (213 cu ft/s)
• minimum	0.025 m3/s (0.88 cu ft/s)
• maximum	476 m3/s (16,800 cu ft/s)

The Coquitlam River (/koʊˈkwɪtləm/ or /kəˈkwɪtləm/) is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

The river's name comes from a Halkomelem word meaning "stinking of fish slime". A traditional story tells of the Coquitlam people selling themselves into slavery during a winter famine. While butchering salmon for their masters they would be covered with fish slime.

Each year hundreds of salmon return to spawn in the Coquitlam River.

Part of the Port Coquitlam Traboulay Trail and the Trans Canada trail run alongside this river. The Indian reserves of the Kway-quit-lum people of the Coquitlam Indian Band are also located along the river.

Course

The Coquitlam River originates at Disappointment Lake in the Coast Mountains near Indian Arm. It flows south into Coquitlam Lake, a reservoir behind Coquitlam Dam, which provides a large portion of Vancouver's drinking water. The upper portion of the river and Coquitlam lake are part of the Metro Vancouver watershed. Below the dam the Coquitlam River continues to flow south, reaching the Fraser River between the cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, suburban municipalities located in Metro Vancouver.

See also

• List of tributaries of the Fraser River

External links

• Website dedicated to preserving the ecological future of the river