Wascana Creek is a river[2] in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is a tributary of the Qu'Appelle River.

Wascana Creek
Wascana Creek in Les Sherman Park, West End, downstream from the Albert Memorial Bridge and Wascana Lake
The Red River drainage basin, with the Qu'Appelle River highlighted
Wascana Creek is located in Saskatchewan
Wascana Creek
Wascana Creek is located in Canada
Wascana Creek
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • coordinates50°39′00″N 104°55′02″W / 50.65000°N 104.91722°W / 50.65000; -104.91722[1]
Basin features
BridgesAlbert Memorial Bridge and Sherwood Forest Bridge

Originating in the fields east of Regina near Vibank, Wascana Creek travels south-east for approximately 45 kilometres (28 mi) before turning back west at Tyvan. The creek then travels in a north-westwardly direction following Highway 33 through Regina, where it was dammed by the Canadian Pacific Railway to create Wascana Lake. The lake was created to supply water for steam locomotives and to create a decorative image in Regina.[3] Below the lake, the creek leaves Regina and ends at the Qu'Appelle River about 1 mile west of Lumsden.

Sherwood Forest Bridge and Albert Memorial Bridge are two of the bridges that cross Wascana Creek. Near the mouth of the river in the Wascana Valley, is a provincial recreation site called Wascana Trails that were developed for use in the 2005 Canada Summer Games.

A 2011 study by Environment Canada found the creek to have high levels of pollution.[4]

Wascana Creek Sub-basin edit

Wascana Creek Sub-basin is the name given to Wascana Creek's drainage basin. Along with the Moose Jaw River Watershed,[5] it is one of four sub-basins that make up the Wascana & Upper Qu’Appelle Watersheds; the other three being the Last Mountain Lake Sub-basin, Upper Qu’Appelle Sub-basin, and Lanigan-Manitou Sub-basin. The four sub-basins plus Moose Jaw River drain a total of 23,443 km2 of land.[6] The Craven Dam is located downstream from Wascana Creek's mouth on the Qu'Appelle River at the village of Craven.

Wascana Creek and its tributaries drain over 2,200 km2 of land. Several small tributaries feed the river, three of which are named:

  • Manybone Creek[7]
  • Kronau Creek[8]
  • Cottonwood Creek[9]

Fish species edit

Brook stickleback and fathead minnow can be found in the Wascana Lake portion of the creek.[10]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Wascana Creek". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  2. ^ Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Wascana Creek". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
  3. ^ "Wascana Centre 2016 Master Plan" (PDF). Wascana Centre. p. 14. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Regina's Wascana Creek has damaging pollutants". CBC News. 29 August 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Our Watershed".
  6. ^ "Our Watershed". WUQWATR. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  7. ^ Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Manybone Creek". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
  8. ^ Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Kronau Creek". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
  9. ^ Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Cottonwood Creek". www4.rncan.gc.ca.
  10. ^ "Habitat Conservation Area: A Self-guided Tour" (PDF). Wascana Centre. p. 3. Retrieved 14 August 2018.

External links edit