What Are 10 Major Rivers in Canada?
Ten major rivers in Canada are the St. Lawrence, Columbia, Fraser, Mackenzie, Yukon, Saskatchewan, Nelson, Slave, Peace and Churchill Rivers. These rivers span the entire country, with two flowing through the United States as well.
The St. Lawrence River forms part of the border with the United States in the eastern portions of Canada. It connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. This river is approximately 1,900 miles long.
The Columbia River starts in the Canadian Rockies and travels down across the border of the United States to the Pacific Ocean. It is about 1,100 miles long, and travels through two mountain systems before flowing into the ocean. It is fast and provides hydroelectric power to the region.
The Mackenzie River is the longest river in Canada, and when combined with head streams, including the Peace River and the Slave River, is the second longest river system in North America. This river flows north to the Arctic Ocean. The river system is frozen for much of year, thawing only from May until October.
The Yukon River lies half in Canada, half in Alaska. During the gold rush in the late 1800s, this river was the main source of transportation for people and gold. Over 1,200 miles long, it also is frozen for a portion of the year.
The Saskatchewan River is about 340 miles long. It flows into Lake Winnipeg and is the main watershed for much of central Canada. It provides power through several hydroelectric plants built along its length.