Rapid River (Churchill River tributary)

Rapid River
Nistowiak Falls on the Rapid River
Churchill River drainage basin
Location of the mouth in Saskatchewan
Rapid River (Churchill River tributary) (Canada)
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceSaskatchewan
Provincial parkLac La Ronge Provincial Park
Physical characteristics
SourceLac la Ronge
 • coordinates55°20′07″N 104°32′03″W / 55.3354°N 104.5342°W / 55.3354; -104.5342
 • elevation364 m (1,194 ft)
MouthNistowiak Lake (Churchill River)
 • location
Lac La Ronge Provincial Park
 • coordinates
55°24′01″N 104°22′00″W / 55.4003°N 104.3666°W / 55.4003; -104.3666
 • elevation
332 m (1,089 ft)
Basin features
River systemChurchill River

Rapid River[1] is a river in central Saskatchewan, Canada, about 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of the community of Stanley Mission within Lac La Ronge Provincial Park. The river flows north from Lac la Ronge to Nistowiak Lake along the Churchill River via Hale Lake and Iskwatikan Lake. The Churchill River flows east to the Hudson Bay. Between Iskwatikan Lake and Nistowiak Lake, it travels over the Nistowiak Falls, one of the tallest in Saskatchewan, and the Fisher Rapids. At the mouth of the river, on Nistowiak Lake, is the Stanley 157A Indian reserve and Jim's Camp.[2]

River's course

Rapid River begins at Lac la Ronge's Diefenbaker Bay and Lac la Ronge Dam.[3] It flows north to Rapid River Dam[4] at the south end of Hale Lake. Hale Lake flows into Stewart Bay at the south-west corner of Iskwatikan Lake. Rapid River flows out of Iskwatikan Lake at its northern end and travels about 800 metres (2,600 ft) north to Nistowiak Lake — a lake along the course of the Churchill River. Along this final leg of the river, there's the 10-metre (33 ft) high Nistowiak Falls followed by Fisher Rapids.[5][6]

Fish species

The fish species commonly found in Rapid River include walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco, white sucker, shorthead redhorse, longnose sucker, lake sturgeon, and burbot.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rapid River". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Jim's Camp Ltd - Nistowiak Falls". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Dams and Reservoirs". wsask. Water Security Agency. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Churchill River Watershed". Water Security Agency. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Nistowiak Falls". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Fisher Rapids". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Rapid River". BRMB Maps. Mussio Ventures. Retrieved 6 September 2025.